Today’s compromised offered to Dexter and Rheann was as a result of a welcome last minute intervention by the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (“TTOC”) in the interest of ensuring Trinidad and Tobago’s representation in the Commonwealth Games.
It must be understood however, that while Dexter and Rheann are pleased to now have the opportunity to once again distinguish themselves at these prestigious games, today’s solution is only really a plaster on the wider issues raised in the matter between the players and their National Sporting Organisation, The Trinidad and Tobago Table Tennis Association (TTTTA).
This was a compromise position offered by the TTOC, not the Trinidad and Tobago Table Tennis Association. It was offered to the Claimants by way of an undertaking by their Attorney-at-Law to the Court.
The underlying action against the TTTTA continues to address the fundamental issues of unfairness bias and failure to comply with the rules of natural justice which dogs selection of players by the TTTTA.
In closing it is difficult to not observe that the TTOC’s intervention ought properly to have come months ago. One would have thought that the TTOC would have taken its responsibility to the athletes more seriously and intervened to tackle the kind of rank injustice complained of by Rheann and Dexter. It is simply not good enough that players should have to fight lengthy and expensive legal battles before the TTOC take heed of these very real issues faced by the athletes.
The TTOC should amend its constitution to give a direct right to hearing to those athletes with genuine disputes with their national sporting bodies.
