Dookram, Wilson not affected by court matter

NATIONAL table tennis duo Yuvraaj Dookram and Aaron Wilson, said the court matter between the TT Table Tennis Association (TTTTA) and Dexter St Louis and Rheann Chung did not affect their preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4 to 15.

After the TTTTA selected Wilson and Dookram for the Commonwealth Games, and reserve Arun Roopnarine, two-time Olympian St Louis, 49, and his stepdaughter Chung, 32, challenged the decision saying it was unfair.

Chung and St Louis sought damages for breach of contract, conspiracy and unlawful interference and an order that the issue is resolved through the TT Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) arbitration process. The TTOC agreed that all four players will go to the Gold Coast games – the two originally selected players, Wilson and Dookram, and France-based duo St Louis and Chung.

Dookram, 28, said he did not let the court matter affect his preparations for the Commonwealth Games over the past few months.

“I did not bother too much with it, because at the end of the day you always need to be prepared whenever you are called on. I am trying to put in as much work as I can,” Dookram said.

Dookram, who wants to advance past the group stage in the singles category in Gold Coast, said he remained focused in training although his appearance at the Games was doubtful.

“I just try to keep my head up and keep pushing in terms of the training, because if I let it bother me too much it would have affected a lot of things especially the tournament (CAC qualifiers) that I just went too,” Dookram said.

Wilson, 19, also did not let the court matter affect his preparations. “It did not bother me...I was still training and so forth,” Wilson said. Wilson, who would also like to represent TT at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, is hoping to perform at a high level at the Commonwealth Games. “(I would like) to play at my best level and at least try to make it to the second round of the knockout stage, and in the team (category) try to put my best forward to ensure that the country is pleased.”