Report says Commonwealth Games weightlifters drank alcohol, shoplifted

Report says Commonwealth Games weightlifters drank alcohol, shoplifted
- GAWA president says allegations in report untrue
Frankly Speaking...
By A.A Fenty
Stabroek News
November 15, 2002

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A report by a Commission of Enquiry set up to investigate alleged misconduct by some members of Guyana’s 2002 Commonwealth Games weightlifting team has found evidence of unacceptable behaviour by two lifters and has recommended disciplinary action be taken.

According to a copy of the report by the Commission of Enquiry which was leaked to Stabroek Sport the four member commission conducted interviews of the members of the weightlifting team before coming to their findings.

The members of the commission were Aletha Mayers-Joseph, Donald Carter, vice president of the GAWA, Andre Farinha, treasurer of the GAWA and Cecil Ramsingh, president of the GAWA.

However, Stabroek Sports understands that Ramsingh was only able to attend one meeting of the commission due to illness. Never-the-less, the commission, acting on the mandate given by the executive committee of the GAWA has made several recommendations that it urges the GAWA follow in the best interests of the GAWA.

FINDINGS

According to the report, the committee found that there were conflicting views from team members as to whether “the coach under-minded the authority of the team manager.”

But the committee was clear that the presence of the coach “had a negative effect on some lifters on the team which was not good for morale.” The commission has recommended that no two coaches should be present on or around national teams in future.

SOURED RELATIONSHIP

At least one member of the team had a soured relationship with the team manager, the report stated.

The commission found that the individual did not understand the code of conduct that the individual signed and “did not behave in a manner that reflects a true ambassador of Guyana either through ignorance and lack of guidance or as a relationship behaviour towards the manager.”

GOING ON DATES

The other individual sought and received permission from the manager to go on dates.

However, the commission found that the individual did not understand that it is the policy of the GAWA not to allow its female charges to go out with individuals when on tour.

The commission found the manager guilty of not enforcing the code of conduct on his female charges.

OTHER TRANSGRESSIONS

According to the report... “The inquiry revealed several distasteful acts of misconduct displayed by members of the team in the United Kingdom. There were reports of alcohol being consumed on the premises of the team hosts, the Guyana High Commission, sometimes into the wee hours of the mornings, accompanied by foul and abusive languages ... much to the disgust of some members of the team.

The report also mentioned allegations of a shoplifting incident and of a team member stealing a pair of champagne glasses.

CONCLUSION

The commission concluded that the GAWA needs to take a serious stock of the conduct of members of teams selected to represent Guyana overseas.

“Members have to be taught that representing one’s country is a sacred honour and not a right,” the report stated. The report also said the manager need to take full responsibility for allowing his charges to knowingly break the published code of conduct of the GAWA.

Contacted for a comment yesterday president of the GAWA Cecil Ramsingh said “WE have issued no document on weightlifting.”

When told that the document was leaked to Stabroek News Ramsingh said the report contained a lot of untruths and allegations.