Team TTO | Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee | teamtto.org

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

British hurdler Colin Jackson visits Speyside, Tobago. This troubled area of the Caribbean has high levels of crime and drug abuse, but a group of children are using sports to change their lives, thanks to London 2012. Fifteen-year-old Hakeem says there's not much to do in Speyside for his age group except smoking and drinking. Yet a charity set up by the London 2012 Organising Committee with the help of Unicef, UK Sport and The British Council, has given him another option.

Hakeem is an International Inspiration leader. After school he helps teach primary school children a curriculum of sports, core subjects and social messages.

For instance, Shanice, 17 says they use sports lessons to get over serious messages about AIDS and HIV.
Collis helps trains the teenage International Inspiration leaders, and says the key is to get "slightly troublesome" primary school kids with a skill to join in the programme, give them focus and keep them out of trouble.

International Inspiration says it aims "to enrich the lives of 12 million children in 20 countries through the power of sport and play."

Writer: James Pearce. Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A decade ago, the International Olympic Committee was mired in a corruption scandal that was far bigger than anything that has so far been proved against Fifa and any members of its executive committee. 'Cash for votes' was not just the subject of allegations, there were hard facts to prove that IOC members had taken large bribes.
So it is fair to say that, when it comes to corruption, the IOC does not have a track record of which its members can be proud.

Salt Lake City won the right to host the 2002 Winter Olympics by offering scholarships to the children of IOC members, land in Utah and other lavish gifts. It is hard to hold any discussion about corruption in sport without referring back to a scandal that could have brought down the Olympic movement.

The IOC would love to forget about this sordid episode. You could understand, therefore, if senior members of the IOC went red with embarrassment at any mention of the word "corruption", if such talk was now banned at the headquarters in Lausanne. In fact, the opposite is the case and there is a great deal Fifa could learn from the IOC's example.

Following the BBC Panorama programme about corruption in football last week, Fifa issued a brief statement insisting that the allegations raised had been dealt with and the "case is closed". There seems to be little or no chance that Fifa will carry out any further investigation.

Contrast that with the reaction from the IOC. Issa Hayatou, one of the members of the Fifa executive committee named by Panorama, is also a member of the IOC. Within hours of the broadcast, there was a statement from the IOC, which said it would ask the BBC to forward all the evidence to the "appropriate authorities" and its ethics commission would open an investigation. "The IOC," we were told, "has a zero tolerance against corruption."

I should add that Hayatou denies the allegations against him and could well be cleared by the IOC investigation. The speed of the IOC's response, though, and its tone emphasised the current gulf between the transparency of the bodies that govern the Olympics and football respectively. Last week, the IOC wanted to be seen as open and clean, while Fifa only wanted to talk about anything other than allegations of corruption.

IOC president Jacques Rogge held a meeting with Fifa counterpart Sepp Blatter, in October. Rogge's quote from that day is interesting. "'I encouraged him to do what he has done and clean out as much as possible," he said. "We have been through this... and the IOC came out as a better and more transparent organisation. I hope that happens to my friends."

I am sure that, privately at least, Blatter might well prefer that Rogge minds his own business but there is no doubt that the IOC president is doing his best to push for reform at Fifa. There has been wild talk about countries such as England and Australia leading a breakaway from Fifa but that is so unlikely to happen.

The only way that Fifa will change is if there is strong and united international pressure. There are few organisations better placed to provide that than the IOC. Football's an Olympic sport, so the IOC has every right to get involved in the Fifa debate. How ironic would it be if an organisation that was nearly brought to its knees by corruption a decade ago ended up being the body that finally forces change at Fifa?

Wide-ranging reform at Fifa is unlikely to happen in the short term. But even if Blatter wants to nudge his organisation gently on to a path of greater transparency, then he could do a lot worse than follow the IOC's example. Look at how the IOC reformed its voting system after the Salt Lake City scandal. In particular, there was one major change that dramatically lessened the opportunities for corruption.
If you are an IOC member, you are no longer allowed to visit any candidate cities without permission.

Instead, the IOC members are told to form their opinions from the official technical report. Yes, in Olympic circles technical reports are actually read, unlike the Fifa ones that appear to have been ignored. A city that had been branded "high risk" in the way that Qatar was by Fifa would be very unlikely to win an IOC vote.

In contrast, the 24 members of Fifa's executive committee were able to travel the world for free during the contests for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. If one of them fancied a weekend in London with his wife, then all he needed to do was pick up a phone or click his fingers and it was all laid on. A five-star hotel, limousine, hospitality at the Premier League game of his choice... The bid teams had no choice but to pander to the voters' every need. These lucky men were wined and dined in destinations stretching from Moscow to Sydney, via New York, Tokyo, Seoul and many other of the world's great cities.
The IOC put a stop to all this. The rules for Olympic voters are now far tighter.

If Fifa voters are banned from travelling to the bidding countries, it would not be enough to make the process appear clean but it would at least be an important first step.

Anybody who has followed the workings of Fifa over the years will be aware that change does not come easily or swiftly. The same could be said of the IOC. But look at the IOC now compared with the IOC of 15 years ago. The IOC is still far from perfect but it is a major player on the international stage with a reputation that has largely been restored.

If football fans around the world feel disillusioned by last week's events, then I suggest they take some comfort from the fact that the IOC has shown that reform IS possible.

IOC and UNHCR team up to help young refugees in Namibia

As part of its initiatives to promote sport as an agent for social change, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) teamed up with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) this week to launch an ambitious three-year Sport and Education programme for young people in the Osire refugee settlement in Namibia.

Some 8,500 people currently live in the settlement, 40 per cent of whom are between the ages of 10 and 30. The programme is designed to get this group more involved in organised sport in an effort to alleviate some of the major problems affecting young people in Osire, namely teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, and substance abuse.

By linking the sporting activity to educational programmes on topics such as sexual and reproductive health and computer classes, the IOC and UNHCR are looking to provide the young people with meaningful recreational activities and the necessary tools to make informed decisions in life.
At a ceremony marking the launch of the programme in Osire on Tuesday, Namibian athletics star and IOC member Frankie Fredericks said, “Our work here is to provide hope to the young people of this settlement. If they are given more opportunities to dream, they will have more reasons to pursue them and make them a reality. Sport may not always seem as significant as other forms of aid, but it can have a considerable positive impact on lives.”

A major facet of the programme is to empower young women, and as such the goal will be to increase female participation in the sporting and educational activities. Sports equipment for women and girls will be provided to help encourage their participation, and domestic leagues will be set up to create greater opportunities for the athletes.

The IOC will oversee the sporting aspect of the programme and will provide equipment and a minibus to transport the teams, while funding training for coaches, organisers and coordinators.

The vast majority of the refugees in Osire originate from Angola, with others coming from the Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and 19 other African countries. With many of the refugees having no other choice than to stay in the Osire settlement for several years, the community faces a range of socio-economic and psychological challenges. Limited employment and higher education opportunities lead to feelings of frustration and despair, especially among the many young people living there.

The IOC is a long-time supporter and partner of the work undertaken by the United Nations, and last year the IOC became only the fifth international organisation to receive official observer status at the United Nations.

The mission of the Olympic Movement is to place sport at the service of humanity. While sport cannot solve all the worlds problems, the IOC believes it can serve as a helpful tool for community development in areas with few economic resources or educational opportunities.

Trinidad and Tobago's London 2012 Olympic team pre-Games training camp will be in Cardiff

Trinidad and Tobago's London 2012 Olympic team pre-Games training camp will be in Cardiff it was announced today. [1 December 2010]

The decision has been made by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) following extensive discussions and consultations which included two visits to Wales by the National Olympic Committee.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Welsh Ministers and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee has been signed to confirm the decision. TTOC President Michael Romany signed on behalf of his organisation.

Wales has many world class facilities in close proximity that impressed the TTOC including outdoor and indoor athletics tracks. TTOC athletes will be able to access cutting edge sports science and medicine services and will be very well looked after by experienced high performance staff who have worked for many years with Olympic teams.

It was also important for TTOC that the team has the full support of the Welsh Assembly Government and Cardiff City Council in providing the most effective pre Games environment for TTOC athletes and support staff who are targeting a record medal haul at the 2012 London Games.

First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “I’m delighted that the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee has chosen Wales as their location for pre-Games training ahead of London 2012. The decision reflects the hard work put in by the Welsh Assembly Government and its partners over the past few months and shows that Wales has the kind of facilities and infrastructure that Olympic teams are looking for. I’m sure they will receive a warm Welsh welcome during their stay.”

Michael Romany, the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee said: “After considering many options for our training location in the UK, we are very pleased with our choice of Cardiff. We have been impressed by the range of world class facilities we will be using and by the enthusiastic support of our friends in Wales in assisting our final athlete preparations for London 2012.”

Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said: “I am pleased to welcome the Trinidad and Tobago team to Wales. I hope the presence of world class athletes in Wales will inspire more young people to take up sport. We will be looking to work with the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee over the next two years to maximise benefits for both nations in a sporting, educational and cultural context. ”

Seb Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee said "It’s great to hear that National Olympic Committees from around the world are developing strong relationships with the UK to aid their training in advance of London 2012. And it’s fantastic to know that with less than two years to go plans are being developed to maximise benefits for both nations across sporting, educational and cultural agendas. I wish Trinidad and Tobago and their Welsh colleagues all the very best in their preparations for London 2012.”

Cardiff Council’s Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said: “We are delighted that the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee has selected Cardiff as its pre-Games training camp location.

This is a result of the first-class sporting facilities, stadia and infrastructure we have in place here.
Pre-Games training camps will provide Cardiff with cultural, economic and participatory opportunities whilst assisting with our vision in establishing the city as a world class sporting venue.”

Paralympic boost for T&T

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com  By Kwame Laurence kwame.laurence@trinidadexpress.com

"To Enable Paralympic Athletes to Achieve Sporting Excellence and Inspire and Excite the World".

This is the vision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). And yesterday, local stakeholders took part in a workshop, at Cascadia Hotel in St Anns, aimed at widening Trinidad and Tobago's participation in Paralympic sport.

The T&T Paralympic Committee (TTPC) became a member of the IPC in November last year. The local governing body is still in its fledgling stage, and the goal of having a large pool of elite Paralympic athletes will not be achieved in the short term. There is hope, though, of creating an impact at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In the meantime, T&T can look forward to representation at the 2012 Paralympics in London, England, through the IPC Universality Wild Card (UWC) system. T&T is expected to receive two wild cards.
At yesterday's workshop, IPC's chief operating officer Georg Schlachtenberger spoke about the role of national Paralympic committees (NPCs).

"Support sport activities for people with an impairment and create pathways [for] athletes from the grassroots to the elite level in cooperation with the national sports organisations (NSOs). The NPC does not have the expertise. The expertise is with the NSOs. Work together. Coordinate this."
Tyrone Marcus, senior legal officer in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, addressed the need for NSOs to make adjustments to their constitutions to include Paralympic arms.

And at the end of the workshop, TTPC president Michael Fraser challenged the NSOs.
"The reason why the NSOs are so important is because we have the passion for disability, but you have the passion for the sport. That's why you're here today. What Paralympics is going to add to your NSO is another dimension in the sport, where you can proudly say that as an NSO you are truly a national sporting organisation, and not just a sporting organisation for a certain sector of people. So until you guys have a Paralympic arm, you are not worthy of the N in NSO.

"A lot of you," Fraser continued, "would have athletes who would have acquired a disability through performing sport. Some of the most successful Paralympians are those people who made the transition from able-bodied sports to the Paralympics. You might have an athlete who gets injured and can't perform in the sport again, in the context of able-bodied sport, but there are still opportunities for those athletes to participate at the highest level if they choose to. Our challenge is to ensure that opportunities exist."

Among the local para athletes who attended yesterday's workshop was swimmer Shanntol Ince, who represented T&T at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.

In addition to Schlachtenberger, Marcus and Fraser, presentations were made by Ken McKell, chairman of the TTPC's Annual General Meeting & Compliance Steering Committee; T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) secretary general Brian Lewis; Special Olympics T&T chairperson Norma James; the Sport Company's executive manager, facilities, Ashton Wharwood; and occupational therapist Priya Gomes.

In her vote of thanks, TTPC administrative manager Deborah McKell promised Schlachtenberger T&T will become the Paralympic "sporting mecca of the Caribbean".

IOC to investigate Fifa vice president Issa Hayatou over bribery claims

 Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The International Olympic Committee will investigate Fifa vice president Issa Hayatou over allegations he took bribes from Fifa's former marketing agency.

The IOC says it will ask the BBC to pass on evidence from Monday's Panorama investigation into alleged Fifa corruption.

Hayatou, a longstanding IOC member and president of Africa's football confederation, allegedly received 100,000 French francs from the ISL agency in 1995.

The IOC says it has zero tolerance for corruption and will refer the matter to its ethics commission.
Hayatou and two other Fifa executive committee members alleged by the BBC to have taken payments will vote on Thursday for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com

Chee Ping accounting for taxpayers' money
By Mark Pouchet

Rhett Chee Ping, newly-appointed chairman of the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT), said his main job is to trim the waste and professionalise the operations of the state-run company.

Prior to and after the May 24 general election, the People's Partnership's spokespersons have berated the wanton spending and lack of proper checks and balances of taxpayers' money at SPORTT.

Expenses included $55 million for the 2009 Caribbean Games which never came off and an estimated $500-million loan for the incomplete Tarouba Stadium that put the cost at more than $1 billion for the UDeCOTT project originally priced at $275 million.

All amidst an ongoing forensic audit of SPORTT ordered by Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts.

Against this background, the former national swimmer, rugby player and coach has emerged at the helm.

"Firstly I had no intention of ever going there," said Chee Ping recently. "I got a phone call from Anil, and this was just when he got into office, asking if I would be interested.

"I basically told him no because I think I had too much on my plate and I would not be able to give the time that I had and he just asked me to think about it, to turn in my resume if I was interested in serving and I said I would, just to see if anything would come about."

On October 7, Chee Ping said he learnt of his appointment when Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced a list of State board chairmen.

Chee Ping, a former clubmate and swimmer with the Minister of Sport, as well as a schoolmate at Fatima College, said his business background will impact more on how he attempts to oversee the operations of SPORTT.

"I think what I have to bring is business acumen to the SPORTT. Yes, I think my sporting background will help in where I would like to or where needs help, but I think the company needs to run like a business.

"If the NSOs (national sporting organisations) want us to be professional and expect us to disburse funds to them, I believe they should be professional in dealings with us. I am talking about their reporting back to us. I don't expect a report once a year, I expect a report once a quarter, and you would be held accountable for the funds," he stressed.

"If I ask you to do something, you do it on that specific date just like any other business. To me, once we get that rolling, I think everybody will be on the same page. You want funds, I will disburse funds, but I also expect that you account for every single cent that I give you."

Chee Ping stated that the SPORTT chief executive officer would execute and implement the plan and the former triathlete would expect the companies contracted to maintain the country's stadiums would do their job.

"Why are we still having to spend $20, 30, 40 million to get the stadia upgraded for the FIFA Women's Under-17 World Cup (which was hosted in T&T in September). What was going on? What was being done with this money? Was anybody looking on to see? So I think it is more of a business acumen that has to come as compared with the sporting acumen," he stated.

Chee Ping added he recently received the organisational chart of SPORTT and believed there are more than enough staff to conduct the operations.

But does he foresee any cost-cutting exercise that can reduce the company's wage bill?

"Everybody needs to be held accountable and there are reports coming in, and I think from what I'm seeing, I don't think we are going to run in and make any cuts. I don't know if within the time the Board wasn't present between May and now, I don't know if the Ministry of Sport, they were running closely with SPORTT, if they or the now Minister were making any cuts," he replied.

Chee Ping said he planned to implement some of the corporate best practice governance at SPORTT, which under the previous administration saw un-audited accounts for more than three years, un-ratified bye-laws, and huge, unaccounted sums of money.

"To me, that's why I want to see quarterly reporting. If I see quarterly reporting, that's how I will know if the money is being disbursed properly. If you take a year to give me, I'm not sure. I don't know how much has been disbursed, where it has been disbursed.

"It's just a check and balance for you and SPORTT to see where the money is going and if we are getting value for money. If we are not getting value for money and we're pumping money into sports, to me I'm not seeing the gold medals coming...and not even the golds but the top eight finishes, and it's not there.

"Is it a problem of do we pump more money, or is something wrong with coaching programmes. We have to see if we're getting value," he said.

Chee Ping said his biggest aim is moving forward with the development of the SPORTT mandate to implement elite level sporting programmes by putting the proper procedures and guidelines in place.

He said he will consult with all the members of his board--which includes a lawyer, marketing people, and sports scientists--to make sure every detail is considered.

And as he is doing with the SPORTT staff and administration, he will hold them accountable.

"I can't see whereby before the chairman and the executive chairman made the decisions without any recommendations from the board. I mean that's what you put a board there for, so that everyone can air their concerns and if there is an issue, the issues are dealt with so you can move forward. So it's a whole consensus to move forward and not just one person dropping the hammer down. That's how we are going to operate and hopefully we'll get it right for the country," he concluded.

Olympic Status No Windfall For US Rugby

Source: (IRB.COM) By Al Caravelli
From  US Olympic Training Centre in Chula Vista, California
 
  
In his latest column for irbsevens.com, USA Sevens coach Al Caravelli looks ahead to the new HSBC Sevens World Series talking players and pre-season, sets the record straight on USOC funding and faces up to a foe he and his side have never beaten before..

As I write this article we are less than two weeks away from the start of the new HSBC Sevens World Series and the excitement is building.

Our team has traditionally not done too well in Dubai, the first tournament of the season, since we haven’t been able to attend any warm-up tournaments, but that doesn’t dampen our spirits or affect our planning. Not having the benefit of a hit-out in a warm-up event puts a little pressure on the players and staff to go beyond what we’ve achieved before and that is the only way we can really be competitive since all of our competition are able to play tournaments before arriving in Dubai.

That gets us to our camp and its participants. While we may not have had the tune-up tournaments, we do have one similarity with many of the other teams - Sevens continues to provide players with a direct route into the full Eagles team, and full time professional contracts overseas.

The Eagles are currently in Europe and recently they played and defeated Portugal. In that side there were six backs and one back row forward who had all come through the Sevens ranks, plus three more on the bench.

We are fortunate that we will have two of those players joining our team in Dubai after they conclude their European tour. The remaining 10 players have been selected from this week's camp. Of the 20 there, only three were in our selection camp for Dubai last year so to say the least we have a lot of new players coming in.

The very good news is that we are anchored by Matt Hawkins and Mark Bokhoven, both injury-free and healthy and two of the best forwards on the entire circuit. Also returning from injury is winger Justin Boyd and Ata Malifa.

We have been very busy this summer during our domestic Sevens season. We had a selection camp in September and those that performed well will be here this week. We have several players that were in our national club championships and three ‘cross-over’ athletes from college (American) football, two of whom were in the Miami Dolphins' training camp this summer.
 
Everyone outside the USOC (United States Olympic Committee) and its sports members seems to think that there is an abundance of cash for all athletes and sports that are in the Olympics. Once Rugby became an Olympic sport everyone was expecting a windfall of money to hit USA Rugby, but the reality is that everything works on quadrennial cycles.

As you all know, rugby won’t be in the Olympics until 2016 and since we are not in the current quad cycle, priority has to go towards funding sports that are in medal contention for 2012.

Another fact that people don’t know is that the USOC is the only NOC that gets no government funding. It raises money from donations. While that is the reality, we have some intelligent and visionary leaders at the USOC who know that for us to be able to medal in the Pan American Games (October 2011) and qualify for the Olympics they need to start investing in the team today.

Some of that investment may not come in direct monetary funds, but in resources, which of course cost money. This summer the USOC voted USA Rugby in as a Sports Member and the result of that membership is increased resources in the High Performance area.

The team now has a sports nutritionist working with us. She has reviewed everyone’s training program and has given them menu suggestions for pre-camp, pre-tournament, during tournament play and post recovery. It’s a real change. Even in the area of travel: what to eat when we are travelling to help us overcome jet lag.

We now also have a sports physiologist who has worked with the athletes on their first workshop focusing on communication and concentration. We will continue that at the next camp in a series of workshops.

Finally there’s also a sport psychologist. He is working with our staff as well as the athletes on all aspects, from becoming a better athlete to strength work, speed, hand-eye co-ordination, cognitive thinking - to name just a few things.

So, while you don’t actually see dollars, these services are not cheap and we are working with top professionals who have several Olympic Games under their belts. That experience is invaluable and we hope to leverage that in the long run.

There is always a first time..

Looking at Dubai, one of the teams we have never beaten is New Zealand. We face them first up.

On paper they are the lead dog: Dubai defending champions, recent Commonwealth Games gold medalists, second in the World Series last year. We, on the other hand, have a lot of new players but we don’t mind the underdog tag. There is always a first time and we would like it to be this time around. Our goal is to be in the quarter finals after day one.

Also in our pool is Argentina, who we have been fortunate enough to get the better of the last two times we played. On the other hand, we’ve never beaten Zimbabwe so, as my Dad used to say: “learn from the past, prepare for the future and perform in the present.”

That is what we expect to do.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Things That Matter Column written by Brian Lewis 

Nations around the world will observe the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Friday. We will read the usual statements of commitment to the plight of the disabled but it is hard not to disdain the whole song and dance as nothing but hypocrisy. Coincidence or not, this week the T&T Paralympic Committee will host an International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Organisational Development Initiative Workshop at the Cascadia Hotel, St Ann’s. The workshop ends today. It is aimed at building capacity and increasing the number of participants in Paralympic Sport. The focus of the important workshop is Paralympic sport.

There are many issues surrounding the reality of persons with disabilities. These include legal, constitutional, ethical and moral aspects. What about here in T&T? I have heard stories that can only be described as heartless, soulless and unconscionable.

No need to complicate the subject. A simple question. Do we care? As always,we talk a good game. But put aside condescending and gratuitous utterances and platitudes. Do we care? As a society do we really care about persons with disabilities? Or is it that we see them as a burden and nuisance value?  Whatever the true answers, T&T sports will reflect the truth.

Further to that, the idea of disability is a nightmare to an elite sportsman and sportswoman. Most see persons with disabilities as a reminder of a reality that may be too fearsome to contemplate.

Can we boast then that we are a developed nation in the absence of a commitment and understanding of our disabled population and disability sport? Two things will happen along our lifeline. We will either die too soon or live too long.  Many of us will live too long. And if we do, disability is inevitable. It is in this context that the point is made that how we treat and our attitude to persons with disability is a reflection of our responsibility or lack of it to ourselves.

Equal opportunity for the disabled is a notion that seems foreign to T&T. While the various interest groups fight for power and recognition, the grassroots, as always suffers. While some seek office and the trappings of office, the disabled still cannot enter buildings and bathrooms without severe inconvenience. National Sport Organisations, who are the governing bodies for their respective sports, make no provisions or have no programmes for the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities. On the other hand it is important that persons with disabilities and those who support them also accept that fighting the battle for acceptance and recognition ought not to be on the basis of sympathy, pity or a sense of obligation.

In other words, you cannot brow beat the wider society into addressing the issues. The discussion and dialogue must be on the basis of self-respect. Today, it is me. Tomorrow it could be or will soon be you. Disabilities are not only physical. There are mental, emotional and learning disabilities.There is disability due to accidents and sports injuries. While sports medicine and science has advanced to such a point that the treatment options for sports injuries are diverse and there has been a considerable improvement in the treatment for sports injuries.

Most elite level athletes will confess that there is a price they pay when father time comes calling. Maintaining physical activity and an active life style is not always as easy as it may appear. In respect of persons with disabilities. According to the United Nation website www.un.org, the gap between talk and action is a worldwide reality as many countries don’t practice what they preach.

It is time to stop planning and talking and start doing. Just remember the golden rule—do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

NOTE: Brian Lewis is the honorary secretary general of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee—www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.

Cycling gets first female leader

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com

History was created last evening at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, where Rowena Williams became the first-ever female president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF).

Williams, who previously served as TTCF racing secretary, defeated incumbent Robert Farrier, who served for one term.

Williams' election was one of several changes to the TTCF executive.

Former president Farrier is now one of three vice-presidents, the others being Don Gibbon and Phillip Marshall.

Frank Gittens takes over Williams' old post as racing secretary, while Joseph Roberts is the new general secretary and Melissa Constance the assistant racing secretary.

Reacting to the change at the top, Farrier said: "The people have spoken, they wanted change. I hope this new executive put their heads together and go forward for the good of the cyclists."

Serrette bids for another term

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com  By Kwame Laurence kwame.laurence@trinidadexpress.com

Ephraim Serrette will run for another term as president of the National Association of Athletics Administration (NAAA).

Serrette vacates the top post at tomorrow’s annual general meeting (AGM) and is confident of being returned to office. “As far as I know I’m unopposed.”

The former sprinter was first elected president in 2006, in a by-election, following the resignation of Ken Doldron. Serrette was re-elected the following year to serve a full three-year term.
Three of the four NAAA vice-presidents are expected to offer themselves for re-election--George Comissiong (first vice-president), Dr Ian Hypolite (second vice-president) and Durly Lucas (fourth vice-president).

Serrette said that while Comissiong and Hypolite will run for the posts they now occupy, Lucas will contest the post of third vice-president, since the incumbent, James Dedier, is not expected to seek re-election.

Of the 15 men and women on Serrette’s slate for tomorrow’s election, ten are members of the outgoing executive.

The five new persons hoping to be elected for the 2010-13 term are Nadine Hamid, who will run for fourth vice-president; Trevor James, who will offer himself for the post of public relations officer; Paul Voisin, Ali St Louis and Robin Brereton. Voisin, St Louis and Brereton will bid to be among the five committee members on the new executive.

The NAAA secretary and assistant secretary are chosen by the executive.
Alan Baboolal is the incumbent secretary, while Dexter Voisin currently serves as assistant secretary.

President–Ephraim Serrette
1st vice-president–George Comissiong
2nd vice-president–Dr Ian Hypolite
3rd vice-president–Durly Lucas
4th vice-president–Nadine Hamid
Treasurer–Carlene Haynes
PRO–Trevor James
Trustees–Hasely Crawford, Dawn Washington, Gunness Persad
Committee members–Kenny Bermudez, Lucretia Warner-Burns, Paul Voisin, Ali St Louis, Robin

Stag Trinidad Northern red hot favourite to take Marcus Minshall Cup

The Marcus Minshall Cup is local rugby's equivalent of  football's  coveted and prestigious FA Cup. as in football lifting the Cup on Cup Final day is a  cherished ambition.
The FA Cup  is rooted in romance   as 'the Davids take on the Goliaths' with the aspiration of staging unlikely upsets.
Rugby is no exception. Cup final day has retained its allure.However,Since its first incarnation in 1969,the Marcus Minshall Cup  has never been kind to underdogs. The giants of local rugby dominate the honour roll. Trinidad Northern first lifted the coveted cup in 1972 and most recently in 2003 and 2007.
Caribs RFC  have lifted the Cup on more than twenty occasions. Defence Force, Roebucks,Royalians are the other teams who have tasted Marcus Minshall  glory.
 
In 1997, GF Utd(amalgam of  Guevaras and Falcons RFC  played Caribs  in the  final losing 33-3. in 1998 GF merged into the Harvard Club to become the established national sporting institution's rugby section.
 
Harvard Club will be making its first ever appearance in the Marcus Minshall Cup Getting there by the default route after Police Sports Club could not field a full team in the semi final.
 
Trinidad Northern took the hard  route to the final  first battling Cup holders and arch rivals Caribs to a hard fought  5-5 stalemate in the first semi final.
In  the replay  Last Saturday at Presidents Ground St Anns. Northern edged Caribs in a physical and contentious replay 15-13. The  fact that  Northern also took the Bruno Browne Cup is conclusive proof of their  big game mindset , indomitable will and championship mettle.
 
Harvard and Stag Trinidad Northern met twice before in this year's rugby season. Their two Toyota Championship battles were won by Trinidad Northern.
 
Marcus Minshall was called "The Sheriff''. He would arrive back home from representing T&T at cricket and head out immediately to don T&T colours in rugby.For him very game was an event and a special occasion. As a rugby player Minshall played every position. As  a captain he demanded excellence  from himself and his team. Given the specialness  of  a Cup final and the fact that it is not just about the 80 minutes of rugby. But what the final represents.Not least the end of the rugby season.
 
On Saturday Trinidad Northern will emerge from their dressing room confident that their rich vein of recent form and history rests firmly in their favour.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

Robert Mutsauki is leaving his post as chief executive of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) to take up a new role as technical director of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), it has been announced.

He is expected to start his new job in the Nigerian capital Abuja in January.

Admire Masenda, the President of the ZOC, admitted that Mutsauki is a big loss to their organisation.

"It's a significant loss because Robert Mutsauki has made immense contribution to ZOC," said Masenda.

"He has been in the driving seat, pushing ZOC to where it is today.

"It is a very sad loss."

Mutsauki, 51, first joined the ZOC as one of its two vice-presidents in April 1998.

In that time Zimbabwe have claimed a total of Olympic seven medals, two of them gold, all won by swimmer Kirsty Coventry (pictured).

As head of the technical team, Mutsauki had helped the continental ANOCA to successfully host the inaugural African Youth Games in Rabat, Morocco, in July.

"As you know, I was working with them [ANOCA] on a part-time basis which effectively means I was carrying out Anoca duties from time to time including the organisation of the inaugural African Youth Games in Morocco in July," said Mutsauki.

"And last month I travelled to Maputo, Mozambique, to inspect the facilities for next year's All-Africa Games which will run from September 3-18.

"At the ANOCA headquarters in Abuja there are currently three full-time staff members and I'm going to be the fourth one and I'll be running my own department."

Mutsauki will also provide support and guidance to African National Olympic Committees on Games team preparations and management, including for London 2012.

The search for a replacement at the ZOC is expected to start next month.

"One thing we have is that we have been able to put in place systems that will enable us to continue beyond his departure," said Masenda.

"Our next board meeting is on around the 17 of December and that is when we will sit as a board and chat the way forward.

"We have begun discussing the options.

"There are no names yet but we have options to look from within and outside ZOC."

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

The extraordinary dedication and hard work by athletes hoping to compete in the London 2012 Olympics has been revealed in new research by The National Lottery.

Stars such as Jessica Ennis will have put in an unbelievable 10,000 hours of blood, sweat and tears in the four years leading up to the Games, it is claimed.The average elite British athlete will have been training six hours a day, six days a week, 12 months a year.

More than 100 elite athletes from Olympic and Paralympic summer sports took part in the study which unearthed the commitment, resources and investment needed to compete on the highest stage.

"To be the best and stay at the top of your sport takes an incredible amount of effort and dedication," said Ennis.

"It's amazing to think that by London 2012 I will have spent 10,000 hours preparing for that moment.

"All the hard work will be worth it, though, to simply compete in front of a home crowd - and to win a medal would just be a dream come true."

Of the athletes surveyed, 87 per cent said they would have to seek paid employment if they did not have support from The National Lottery, which would have a huge impact on their training.

The average athlete:

Consumes more than 1.1 million calories per year, equivalent to eating three Christmas dinners a day

Commits six hours a day, six days a week to training and competitions

Has been working towards their Olympic or Paralympic goal for 11 years

Seriously took up their sport at the age of 14 and now competes in seven international competitions per year

An average elite male canoeist, such as World Champion Ed McKeever, lifts a total of 1,200 tonnes a month - the equivalent of six blue whales - during their strict gym workouts.
An elite swimmer, such as Olympic silver medallist Joanne Jackson and European and Commonwealth champion Fran Halsall , swims more than 1,860 miles a year - further than the distance from Beijing to London over four years.

The GB Wheelchair Basketball team on average goes through 100 tyres a year for its specially designed wheelchairs

Peter Keen, director of performance at UK Sport, said the support and preparation that goes into getting to an Olympic or Paralympic Games is substantial.

"I'm sure people will be surprised by the results of this survey at exactly how much time, dedication and commitment it takes an aspiring athlete to achieve their Olympic and Paralympic goals," he said.

"The sporting landscape in the UK has changed dramatically since the introduction of National Lottery funding and, through hard work from the athletes and their support teams, we are seeing tremendous results."

The National Lottery has been funding British Olympic and Paralympic athletes through UK Sport since 1997 and since then 438 Olympic and Paralympic medals have been won.

The National Lottery is investing up to £2.2 billion ($3.5 billion) towards the infrastructure and venues of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as supporting around 1,400 elite athletes on their journey to London 2012 and beyond.

Colin Jackson links International Inspiration from Trinidad and Tobago to Haringey

School children from across Haringey, North London, today welcomed Olympic medallist Colin Jackson as part of a celebration of London 2012’s International Inspiration programme.

Jackson, one of five International Inspiration ambassadors, has just returned from a trip to Trinidad & Tobago where he saw how the programme was helping to inspire children and young people and give them a chance for a brighter future. Five Haringey schools have been twinned with five schools in Trinidad & Tobago as part of this programme.

International Inspiration is London 2012’s official international sports legacy programme which aims to use the power of physical education, sport and play to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people of all abilities in twenty countries across the world.

At Hornsey School for Girls, Colin met Young Leaders from all the Haringey schools who demonstrated the leadership skills they have learned through International Inspiration. These Young Leaders worked together to run a primary school dance festival, a classroom based workshop discussing how the Olympic and Paralympic values can be used to address issues such as racial tensions, gangs and aggression and led a cricket session for younger pupils. They also talked to Colin about how International Inspiration is helping them to work in partnership with schools across the Borough as well as with their counterparts in Trinidad & Tobago.

In Trinidad & Tobago, Jackson saw how International Inspiration has been using PE and sport as a way to address social, health, economic and development issues, including increasing use of alcohol and drugs in young people, the rise of youth gangs and sedentary lifestyles. These, coupled with a lack of safe spaces for young people and poor PE infrastructure can mean opportunities for children and young people to engage in sport and play are limited.

Working with the government of Trinidad and Tobago, II aims to reach at least one in 10 children and young people over three years, and leave a lasting legacy by training sports coaches, improving facilities, improving the delivery of high quality and inclusive physical education in primary schools, creating youth friendly spaces and building links between UK and Trinidad and Tobago schools.

Colin Jackson, International Inspiration ambassador, said: “International Inspiration is truly remarkable. I lost count of the number of young people I met who are benefiting from the programme and embracing sport. In Trinidad & Tobago the programme is a fantastic way of engaging youngsters and keeping them safe by communicating important messages around HIV and drugs and giving them safe spaces to play sport. It has also really benefited the schools and communities over there in helping to tackle absenteeism and antisocial behaviour and giving young people an after school activity that keeps them off the streets.

"It was clear from all the children I met in London and in Trinidad & Tobago, how the programme has benefited them as individuals, helping them to flourish within a school environment, developing leadership and team work skills and fostering ambition."

Abigail, a young leader from Hornsey School for Girls said:
"Having an athlete like Colin Jackson visiting our school is really exciting - especially as he can tell us about his experience in Trinidad & Tobago with our link school. Through International Inspiration, and our link with Speyside School in Tobago we have learnt about leadership skills, conflict resolution and how to work as a team. I was also a Hornsey School representative at the UK School Games and worked with a fellow from Tobago, Hakeem Charles in terms of developing our leadership skills as students.”

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said: “I was lucky enough to see for myself the difference International Inspiration is making to children and young people’s lives when I went to India last year to see some projects. I’m delighted Colin Jackson has had the same opportunity in Trinidad and Tobago. Our vision is to reach young people around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games and International Inspiration is helping us achieve this.”

The UK school partnerships are designed so that those involved choose a joint project that addresses priorities in their schools, using innovative approaches to PE, sport and play as the focus. The partnership also represents a chance for the schools to experience and explore each other’s cultures, and for the pupils to develop valuable life skills, including leadership, communication and presentation skills.

-  Ends -

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog http://blog.london2012.com or follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/london2012

For more information about International Inspiration’s School Links programme, please contact Mark Moulding at the British Council press office on 020 7389 4889 or James Webb at the Youth Sport Trust on 020 7874 7680.

Notes to editors:

The International Inspiration programme is governed by an independent charitable foundation. It is delivered through a partnership between UK Sport, UNICEF, British Council and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and supported by other partners including the UK Government, including the Department for International Development, the Youth Sport Trust, the Premier League, the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association and individual donors.

To enable longer-term impact, the programme is developed jointly with the governments, National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees, where appropriate, of participating countries. The programme is supported and welcomed by the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee.

The vision of International Inspiration is to use the power of sport to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people of all abilities in schools and communities across the world, particularly developing countries, by offering them the opportunity to access and participate in high-quality and inclusive sport, physical education and play. The programme is already changing the lives of young people in thirteen countries – Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Jordan, India, Mozambique, Palau, Trinidad and Tobago and Zambia and work now beginning in South Africa, Malaysia, Nigeria and Turkey and has already enriched the lives of over 6 million children and young people.

International Inspiration was developed as a result of the commitment made by the London Bid team in Singapore in 2005 to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport’.

The school partnerships are managed by the British Council, which has long experience of linking schools internationally, working in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, which utilises its expertise in developing teachers and young leaders through sport.

As it heads towards its £2bn budget for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now nineteen domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, GSK, Gymnova, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, Next, The Nielsen Company, Populous, Technogym, Ticketmaster and Trident.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games Partner, Sainsbury’s.

The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for London 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa

OLIVER CAMPS remains boss of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) for another four-year tenure.

Camps who has served as president of the TTFF since 1992 was re-elected unopposed at the federation’s general meeting at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya, Tunapuna on Monday.

But Raymond Tim Kee was replaced as a vice-president by Krishendath Kuarsingh, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Referees Association.

Other vice-presidents are Rudolph Thomas of the Southern Football Association and Lennox Watson president of the Eastern Football Association who were all re-elected. Richard Groden remains secretary.

After his re-election, Camps pledged to seek the assistance of the Ministry of Sport in ensuring a proper modern-day structure for local league football.

He said another project during his new term of office was working with the various stakeholders towards improving the framework of governing club football. Camps said the restructuring of local club football with emphasis on league clubs in the various regional associations will also be his focus.

He noted the highlights during his presidency were the staging of two youth World Cups here in 2001 (FIFA U-17 World Youth Championshps) and again in September this year (World Women U-17 World Cup).

But he noted, the qualification of the “Soca Warriors” for World Cup 2006 in Germany must also rank high among his career highlights.

Camps said he was humbled by the executive who give him another tenure at the head of the TTFF.

Sports Minister Anil Roberts, FIFA vice-president Jack Austin Warner who is also CONCACAF and Caribnbean Football Union boss and TT Pro League president Dexter Skeene all congratulated Camps on his re-election.

Namibia receive Olympic Committee funding for Sevens rugby event

Having won the 2010 IRB Nations Cup in 15-a-side rugby, Namibia are intent on honing their preparations for the second leg of the HSBC Seven World Series in George, South Africa the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) has received N$100,000 in financial support from the Namibian National Olympic Committee (NNOC) towards the hosting of the Dune Sevens Rugby Tournament, which will be held at Jan Wilken Stadium in Walvis Bay on 18-20 November.

The Namibians will be using their home tournament to warm up for the second leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series, the Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens in George, while two other countries, South Africa and Kenya, will be fine-tuning ahead of the World Series opener in Dubai on 3-4 December. To add even more southern African flavour to the event, the national team of Botswana will travel to Namibia as well as regional and club sides from Boland, Western Cape and Namibia.

Abner Xoagub, Secretary General of the NNOC, said that since Rugby Sevens had been accepted as an Olympic sport, in October 2009, they had been looking at ways to help the country's national team qualify.

"We had long discussions with rugby on how to assist them and we wanted an ongoing programme on how they plan to qualify and they said they need to host tournaments," Xoagub said.

As a result the NNOC decided to help the national union host the tournament, which will host some of Africa's top talent.

The CEO of the NRU, Sakkie Mouton, said that they wanted the Sevens team to have regular competition in order for them to be able to compete against the best and qualify for the Olympics.

Planning for Olympic qualification

"We have to start planning for the Olympics and therefore have to get our players to specialize as either Sevens players or the 15s players," Mouton said.

"We want the players to play more competitive rugby in Africa and we wanted to host some of these tournaments which they will be competing in," he added.

The coach of the Namibian teams, Ronaldo Pedro, was very confident of his team's chances at the tournament.

"I think that we will end up in the first two places and if we are second it will be to the South African Springboks. That is the only team we are nervous about, but we are also happy that they are bringing their first team and therefore we will have good practice for the upcoming tournament in George which we will also be a part of," Pedro said.

"This time we are a better team than last year's team which won the Plate in the Trustco Sevens tournament," he added.

"Our only concern for the tournament is that we will be missing Attie du Plessis who was called up for the national team that will be in Europe at that time, but we have a good replacement for him," Pedro continued.

The Kenyan team will be coached by national Sevens coach Benjamin Ayimba, a sign that he will use the Dune tournament as a key World Series trial for several younger players, or some who are returning from injury.

Impala's Peter Ocholla return from a long injury lay-off, while Mwamba's Edgar Abere and the Quins duo of Eden Agero and Patrice Agunda get the nod for the trip.

Other members of Kenya's national Sevens squad - notably captain Humphrey Kayange, Collins Injera and Lavin Asego - will travel with Mwamba RFC to compete in the 17th edition of the Makerere Tens in Kampala, Uganda.

FIFA bans three senior officials

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

One of Fifa's most senior figures has become the first official from the organisation ever to be banned for bribery after six officials were punished following a corruption scandal.

Nigeria's Amos Adamu received a three-year ban and 10,000 Swiss franc (£6,341) fine from Fifa's ethics committee today after being found guilty of breaching bribery rules.

His fellow executive committee member Reynald Temarii was suspended for a year and fined 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,170) for breaching rules on loyalty and confidentiality.

The bans follow a Sunday Times expose which alleged the officials had asked for cash in return for World Cup votes. Neither man will be able to take part in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes on 2 December – only 22 executive members will now take those decisions.

Four other Fifa officials, all former executive committee members, have also received bans of between two and four years.

The ethics committee chairman, Claudio Sulser, however criticised the Sunday Times as "sensationalist" – despite basing the investigation on the paper's revelations and imposing punishments which surprised many observers with their severity.

He told a news conference in Zurich: "What I cannot tolerate is the fact that they changed the sentences, they changed the way they presented the truth. If footage is taken out of context that's twisting the facts.

"They showed footage that lasted four minutes, we have looked at audio and video footage of several hours."

Adamu and Temarii's absence from the executive committee may not aid England's campaign for 2018 as the bid had hoped they had sealed their votes.

Furthermore, the ethics committee will take no action regarding allegations that England's 2018 rivals Spain/Portugal have agreed a vote-swapping deal with 2022 bidders Qatar.

Sulser said no evidence had been found of the collusion claims but confirmed that Spain's executive committee member Angel Villar Llona and Qatar's Mohamed Bin Hammam and only been contacted by letter and not interviewed in person.

Sulser said: "We didn't find sufficient grounds to reach the conclusion that there was any collusion, therefore we didn't move forward on that case.

"It's hard to prove collusion. Although doubts may arise about objectivity if we can't establish anything, it's clear we cannot say an offence has been committed."

Sulser admitted that the scandal had caused "great damage" to Fifa's image.

Fifa general secretary Jerôme Valcke said the sanctions stood as a warning to anyone tempted to break the rules, but admitted that he could not guarantee the World Cup bidding process is free of collusion.

Valcke said: "Am I sure that 2018 and 2022 are free of any collusion? I can't answer this question – I don't vote and I have no idea what the discussions are between various members.

"As the Fifa president [Sepp Blatter] said before, having two World Cup being bid for at the same time opened the door to such conversations between executive committee members – particularly as you have eight bids involved who have executive members in the room.

"I hope that what's happened here in the last three days shows people should be careful of entering into any situation which is forbidden."

Adamu has insisted he will appeal but this will not be heard before the 2 December vote.

He said in a statement: "I am profoundly disappointed with the ethics committee's findings and had honestly believed I would be exonerated of any charges by now.

"I completely refute the decision they have made. I will be lodging a full appeal against it with immediate effect."

The other officials sanctioned were Ismael Bhamjee of Botswana, who was handed a four-year ban, Amadou Diakite of Mali and Ahongalu Fusimalohi of Tonga who were suspended for three years and Tunisian official Slim Aloulou for two. All four were also fined 10,000 Swiss francs.

In a separate investigation, the ethics committee found insufficient evidence of collusion between the bid teams of Spain-Portugal 2018 and Qatar 2022. The committee had been conducting an investigation into allegations that the two bid teams had been colluding to trade votes, against bidding regulations.

However, it was announced today the committee "did not find sufficient grounds to reach a conclusion that there was any collusion".

 TTRFU executive must build on current rugby talent

Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Football Union(TTRFU) president Leslie Figaro is now more confident than ever that the future of Trinidad and Tobago rugby is in good hands. Figaro's declaration came after he witnessed the T&T Development team beat the T&T Senior A 28-7  last night at the Larry Gomes Stadium,Malabar Arima.
 
The first game last week between the two teams ended in a 25 all stalemate.Last year the development team also registered a similair upset win over the senior team 29-24.
 
"A couple of the tries scored by the youngsters were well worked.They showed precise passing, control and movement and made good use of possession, different points of attack, mobility and variety. It was very encouraging.It is now up to the TTRFU executive committee to build on the opportunity presented by the talent and potential displayed by the young players."
 
According to Figaro the TTRFU will have to keep the development squad in training so as to focus on all areas of player development.
 
" There is a lot of work to be done.We need to address  the physiological,mental,technical and tactical development. The players have to learn about their positional roles and what is expected. Notwithstanding the economic and financial challenges. The TTRFU must find ways and means to build and sustain a high performance environment." There are some really talented youngsters coming through.They want to improve and seem to enjoy playing rugby .In the three games to date they have  showed fighting spirit and a refusal to be intimidated. Basic ingredients needed for success in the modern game of  international rugby ." said Figaro
 
The TTRFU  receives development support from the International Rugby Board(IRB) . In addition the contract of current TTRFU Technical Director ,Murray Roulston (New  Zealand) is a Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs(MSYA) high performance support project.
 
Trinidad and Tobago is currently ranked 47 on the IRB World Ranking list and the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association(NACRA) 15s Rugby title holders.They will be defending their NACRA 15s title next year.

TTOC Partakes in the annual World Diabetes Day Walk

The Diabetes Association of Trinidad and Tobago (DATT) under the authority of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) hosted its annual World Diabetes Day Walk on Saturday November 13th 2010 in St. James, Port of Spain. The aim of the World Diabetes Day campaign is to raise public awareness of the causes, symptoms, treatment and complications associated with the condition.

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) presence at the walk was to promote its partnership with the DATT.  The TTOC has agreed to become the spokesperson for raising awareness of diabetes in Trinidad and Tobago, with special focus on juvenile diabetes.
The walk commenced at 8:20 a.m. at Courts, St. James and ended at the St. James Amphitheatre.  There were approximately 350 participants from the various DATT constituency offices throughout Trinidad. A uniformed cadet marching band led the walkers along the Western Main Road, to the beat of drums at a slow, comfortable pace. Patrons wore blue, the colour of the IDF’s symbol for diabetes awareness.  The blue represents the sky that unites all nations and signifies the unity of all nations in the fight against diabetes.  Blue helium balloons were released into the atmosphere simultaneously at the end of the walk, to symbolize this unity.

The Amphitheatre acted not only as the finish line for the walk, but also the site of the education phase of the day’s activities. The DATT offered free blood sugar testing to all persons and distributed informational pamphlets containing details about diabetes, its symptoms and treatment.  Products specially manufactured for diabetics were available for sampling.
Troy Romany, Project Coordinator at TTOC, expressed his satisfaction with the organisation of the event.

“I would like to take this opportunity to place on record our hearty thanks to the DATT for the perfect logistic support and guidance they have extended to all of us at the TTOC.  We have been fortunate enough to be backed by a team of very motivated and dedicated colleagues of the DATT who know their jobs and are results oriented.  I also extend my thanks to Mr. Carlton Phillip, President of the DATT for his enormous contribution to the organization of this event.”

The TTOC is confident that their partnership with the DATT will be a successful once and will also be the launch pad for the alleviation of diabetes in Trinidad and Tobago.

For more information on World Diabetes Day and the Solidarity Walk, see link below:

  pdf  World Diabetes Walk