mar.06.2007

Five state of the art, fully equipped sports medicine bags were donated to the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) and four of its affiliates at a press conference on Monday 05th March at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The Canadian High Commission contributed the sports medicine bags and TT$11,000 under the Canada Fund to the TTOC, athletics, cricket, football and volleyball to assist their medical staff in providing improved and high quality medical care and treatment to athletes and spectators at local and international sporting events and competitions.

President of the Olympic Committee, Michael Romany informed those present, that the medical bags will be of tremendous benefit to the chosen Associations, since each represented greater participation levels in Trinidad and Tobago.

Additionally, Romany was happy to support the donation to these affiliates as over time, they have demonstrated effective organization and accountability in the management of their association and sport and he was therefore assured that the medicine bags would be put to good use.

His Excellency, the Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Howard Strauss, was pleased to offer support to the Olympic Associations in this way, in recognition of the growing importance of sporting events and its resulting positive impact on employment, economic growth and social development and said that the bags will contribute to the health security of players and the public alike.

Secretary General of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, Mr. Forbes Persaud was elated with the contribution and mentioned that the cricket medical staff did not have such an expansive and complete sports medicine resource to work from until now.

Romany expressed his gratitude to the High Commissioner for the donation and asserted that the money will be used by the TTOC to deliver medical training for sports medicine practitioners.

Dr. Terry Ali, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Sports Medicine Association, accepted the medical bags on behalf of the TTOC.

First row from left to right: June Durham, medical team therapist; Oliver Camps, President, Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation; His Excellency, the Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Howard Strauss; Dr. Terry Ali, President Trinidad & Tobago Sports Medicine Association; Mr. Mushtaque Mohammed, President, Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation and Vice President, TTOC; Mr. Forbes Persaud, General Secretary, Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board.

Back row from left to right: Michael Romany, President, TTOC; Dexter Voisin, Assistant Secretary General, Trinidad & Tobago National Amateur Athletics Association; Ian Sharpe, medical team therpist and Paul Newallo, Director of Sport and Physical Education, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs