Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Larry Romany believes a drop off in sport participation in the nation's school could result in T&T failing to medal at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games .
During his keynote address at the TTOC 18th annual award ceremony at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain last Saturday evening Romany voiced concerns about the issue pointing to a need to arrest the decline in participation levels among the school population .
Romany said that the TTOC is collaborating with the Ministry of Education, and has started an initiative to measure the obesity of every child in primary schools. The data from the project, being conducted by the project is being conducted by the TTOC and the data from the project will be analyzed by John Hopkins University.
"If we want to sustain podium success the problem cant be swept under the table.When people talk about the issues facing sport there is a lot of misdiagnosis but that happens when you look at flawed information. The wrong people can confuse the issue . Its generational and will require acceptance that it will take 15 to 20 years to solve the problem but the issues must be addressed now "
Meanwhile the TTOC's sport administration course will continue in 2013. Last year the TTOC certified 150 young people who successful completed the IOC certification course.
Six courses were held last year. The TTOC's plan is to conduct the same number this year. The first course starts on Tuesday 8 January.
" Thats another priority. Education and building the human resource capacity within the national sport organisations that are affilated to the TTOC. We have also extended the course to community clubs and sport organisations." said Romany.