TT ping pong team in danger of missing Commonwealth

JADA LOUTOO

This country’s showing at the Commonwealth Games in the table tennis discipline appears doubtful as the TT Table Tennis Association (TTTTA) has again failed to have the courts remove an injunction which has left it crippled from taking further action in its decision to advance the two home-based players who were selected for the Gold Coast games in April.

Appellate court judges, Justices Allan Mendonca, Peter Jamadar and Prakash Moosai refused to lift the injunction reinstated by Justice Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell last month.

In their ruling,the judges said the public’s interest was in ensuring that a fair process was followed in selecting players for the games.

They said they found strong evidence that the process was unfair and lacked transparency. With little or no time to make a further appeal to the Privy Council and with a trial set for Monday, unless the judge gives her ruling immediately, it is not likely that they will be able to meet the Tuesday deadline for the ratification of the two players by the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) for entries for the Gold Coast Games from April 4-15.

Before the local courts is a legal challenge mounted by this country’s most decorated players, France-based Dexter St Louis, 50, and 33-year-old Rheann Chung, who have questioned the process used by the association to select 19-year-old Aaron Wilson and 21-year-old Yuvraj Dookram to the team and Arun Ramnarine as the reserve.

The pair is seeking damages for breach of contract, conspiracy and unlawful interference and an order that the issue is resolved through the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC)’s arbitration process. In defence of the lawsuit, the TTTTA is claiming the duo was informed via email of the selection criteria and chose not to participate.

It is also alleging that the two only decided to challenge the process after it was completed and that it had closely followed the TTOC’s guidelines and deadlines in making its selection.

The association also claimed that arbitration was not an option as such can only be initiated by the association under the TTOC’s constitution.

The TTTTA has argued that neither St Louis nor Chung adhered to the national selection policy implemented at the association’s AGM in January 2016. The selection policy states those who wish to be considered for national selection must compete in at least one local tournament on the TTTTA calendar and have a podium finish in the last nine months.

Attorneys Mathew G W Gayle, sports lawyer Dr Emir Crowne and Sheriza Khan are representing Chung and St Louis while Kiel Tacklalsingh, Dinesh Rambally and Steffan Ramkissoon are representing the TTTTA.