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Friday, July 3, 2009

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Appropriate template important for Caribbean Games success By FRED STURRUP ~ NG Associate Editor ~ frederick@nasguard.com: Once upon a time, there was the West Indies Federation Games (WIFG). For a short while, It was a signature sports item for the Caribbean region. For the area athletes, particularly from the English-speaking Caribbean, the WIFG supplemented very well the Central American and Caribbean Games, the Pan American Games and of course the Commonwealth Games. Actually, the CAC Games event officially has seniority over the others. It was in 1926 that the first Central American and Caribbean sports novelty was held. Mexico City was the host location. In 1930, Havana, Cuba got the bid and four years later, San Salvador, El Salvador, welcomed sister nations from the CAC family. The Pan American Games were actually inspired to a great extent by the CAC sports happening. There was a deep interest as a result of the CAC success to broaden the sports competition base into the Pan American region. Thus, in 1951, Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the host city, followed four years later in 1955 by Mexico City and subsequently Chicago, USA in 1959. The Commonwealth Games in essence was actually an idea that began in the late 1800s but never materialized until 1930, in Hamilton, Canada as the British Empire Games. There were several name changes. In 1950, the competition had grown in status to a position right under (in the minds of many world sporting figures) the Olympic Games. The powers that be, decided to expand the name to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1950. By 1966, the name transformation was complete. From then to now, this prestigious athletic extravaganza for countries once ruled by Great Britain, has been known as simply the Commonwealth Games. The CAC, the Pan Am and the Commonwealth Games are all going strong. In 1962, after a beginning in 1957 unofficially and officially in 1958, the West Indies Federation Games faded away. This was really an indictment against Caribbean sports leaders. The WIFG was a wonderful sports vehicle, that had it survived, would have done a whole lot to showcase the athletes of the Caribbean and deepen the general development process. Although much has been achieved despite the limited sophistication in equipment and training methods, had the WIFG continued, it stands to reasons that our overall world success would have been greater. Now, Caribbean sports leaders have come together again and the concept is similar to the WIFG but the name is the Caribbean Games. This is another opportunity for Caribbean sports leaders to show a togetherness that has not been prevalent through the years. In fact it is commonly thought that the one great drawback to a higher level of sporting performances by Caribbean athletes and organizations is the inability to function as one, when necessary. In Trinidad/Tobago July 12-19, the 1st Caribbean Games (CG09) will take place. This is the time for our sports leaders to rid themselves of the stigma, to prove our critics (some of them our friends) wrong. They need to come up with a template that will work. Will our sports leaders rise to the occasion ? I wonder. It seems to me that from the outset, a serious error has been made. There is this expectation that the elite Caribbean athletes of athletics, boxing, volleyball, netball and tennis should automatically fit the Caribbean Games into their schedules. For an event like this to be successful, the top athletes have to be involved. For that to happen, they have to be enticed. There should be a budget, inclusive of appearance fees. This has to be part and parcel of the entire organization for success to be achieved as expected. This is my view. I understand that the great Jamaican world record sprinter Usain Bolt will be a special guest, but not as a participant. Well that's a scenario that does very little to maximize a golden opportunity. Unless competition appearance fees are dangled, I think a very small percentage of the Caribbean's prime athletes, especially those of track and field, will opt out of lucrative opportunities just to fly into Trinidad/Tobago to be a competitive presence at the Caribbean Games in July. I hope I'm wrong, but if I'm not, this factor will prove to be the Achilles' heel of the Caribbean Games Board of Directors from the very outset. That being emphasized, I certainly extend best wishes to the CGO9 organizers. Wednesday, June 3, 2009