NAAA general secretary: Time for national sport discussion

GENERAL SECRETARY of the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) Dexter Voisin said he will avoid commenting specifically on the harsh criticism by legendary TT track and field sprinter Ato Boldon on the performance of TT athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

However, Voisin is calling on the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) and all sporting bodies to have a meeting to chart a way forward for sport in TT.

On Monday, Voisin told Newsday, “I saw several media posts during the Olympics, after the Olympics. For me to respond to each of these things (is not necessary). Ato for the media is an important person and draws attention, but I would not respond to any post like those things on social media.”

Voisin said responding to those comments will not help track and field.

TT did not earn any medals at the Tokyo Olympics, the first time TT ended without an Olympic medal since the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Boldon, a four-time Olympic medallist, voiced his opinion on social media following TT’s performance at the Olympics.

On Sunday he said on Facebook, “Oh, the irony of the winning Jamaican women’s (4x100m) team being plastered on the front page of the TT Guardian. We were third behind them in 2015 at the World Championships.”

Boldon asked rhetorically what changes would be made for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Same dotishness, same jokers talking a set of annual rubbish, same 1970s thinking, same personal agendas, same relay coaching roulette, same pretending sh---- Carifta/junior results are ok, same ‘we not changing a damn thing, this good enough’.”

Boldon lamented, "We have been left behind by so many countries at the highest level of sport because we are stuck doing the same AMATEUR things and expecting a different result. It pains me to see where things are now.”

Voisin said it is time for all sporting associations to join forces to establish plans to improve sport.

“I am interested in holistic discussion. We can’t be talking about one sport (track and field) in the Olympics. We have to be speaking about the development of sport in TT. How long will we have one sailor representing us at the Olympics, one judo (athlete), one rower, one boxer. Let’s talk about the development of sport in general in TT.”

TT have earned 19 medals in Olympic history, 15 of which are track and field medals.

“Track and field would have done its part over the years and continue to do its part and I don’t think we should be trying to demonise any athlete or any federation,” Voisin said.

Voisin is suggesting that a “debrief” is held by the TTOC to discuss the 2020 Olympics and plans for the future.

Boldon later mentioned the NAAA when he tweeted, “The beatings will continue until morale improves.”

In a Newsday interview in early June, Boldon predicted TT will not earn any track and field medals in Tokyo.

“We don’t have anybody right now that is a medal contender…that could change like I said, but right now on June 2, 2021 we do not have anybody in any event or a relay that is a medal contender.”