By Renaldo Dorsett

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

#SHAUNAE Miller-Uibo has been vocal about her displeasure with the decision in Salwa Eid Naser’s whereabouts case – which cleared the Bahraini sprinter of any wrongdoing and now other icons in the sport have joined the growing chorus of scepticism.

#Former world and Olympic record holder in the 200m and 400m, Michael Johnson took to social media to echo many of the sentiments Miller-Ubo expressed in her statement last week regarding the case.

#“Why was ‘19 World Champ Salwa Eid Naser cleared after missing 4 doping tests? World Athletics testing system lacks the structural integrity required to stand up in court if challenged,” Johnson said on Twitter.

#“‘The tester went to the wrong door’. Clean athletes should demand better from their federation!”

#According to a ruling by the Athletics Integrity Unit, Naser, the reigning 400m world champion, avoided a ban on a technicality after charges for missed tests and filing failures were dismissed by an independent tribunal.

#Naser, who ran the third-fastest 400m in history when she pulled away from Miller-Uibo on the final curve to snatch the gold at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit in June. Johnson was also vocal after Naser’s initial suspension. She missed three tests in the 12 months before winning the world 400m title at the 2019 World Championships and another test in January.

#“I believe the sport can legally increase the punishment for missed tests. Increase the punishment to 4 years, and you’ll see fewer missed tests,” said Johnson – the only male athlete in history to win both the 200m and 400m events at the same Olympics, a feat he accomplished at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

#“Two (2 years) gives the presumption of innocence already. Maybe it’s not labelled as equal to positive, but the punishment should be.”

#The President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Witold Banka, also expressed his thoughts on the decision and the possibility of his organisation taking action in the future.

#“As it relates to Salwa Eid Naser and the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal decision on her case I am concerned,” said Banka.

#“WADA will analyse it carefully and exercise its right to appeal if necessary.”

#British sprinter Adam Gemili cited the case of Scottish hammer thrower Mark Dry as a reference to the inconsistency of the decision-making process of the sport’s governing bodies.

#“There seems to be no consistency in how some athletes are treated compared to others. Look at what happened to Mark Dry for literally nothing. Being a world champion should not mean you get special treatment. This does not show track and field in a good light at all.”

#Dry was charged with “attempted tampering with any part of doping control.” The rule includes “providing fraudulent information” in reference to a whereabouts issue.

#Naser’s fourth violation, a test scheduled to be taken on April 12, 2019, at her apartment in Riffa, Bahrain was missed because a doping control official was unable to find her between 6-7am.

#According to the AIU, the events of the morning “would have been comical were the consequences not so serious,” after the official was given the wrong address and was not given a phone number.

#“Again I must reiterate, that my concern is with World Athletics and the AIU and the role they play. As senior administrators, their purpose is to protect and advance their athletes to the best of their abilities.

#“With the recent turn of events, with their littered errors, in my view, opens the door to many questions. What took them so long to make this information public? How is it possible that this case lingered on until World Championships, which was in October 2019 and not once were the athletes informed, or the athlete in question provisionally suspended like others that were in the same position? There are case studies that can be provided to support that athletes were provisionally suspended until the case was heard before a tribunal. There were two cases in particular with both athletes missing their third test dated April 19 and April 26 and both were provisionally suspended in the month of August,” Miller-Uibo said in the aforementioned statement.

#“We need to ensure that in athletics, we the athletes are not competing against any administrators whose only goal is for athletes to run faster, jump higher, jump further and throw further at any cost.” 

By Brent Stubbs

Monday, October 19, 2020

#After missing out on the opportunity to host the second window of the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers in a bubble here, the Bahamas Basketball Federation will now have to secure at least $80,000 to send the men’s national basketball team off to compete.

#BBF President Mario Bowleg indicated over the weekend that they applied to both the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture since September with their request to stage the bubble for eight teams in pool C and D at either Atlantis on Paradise Island or Baha Mar, but they didn’t get any commitment until it was too late.

#FIBA decided to take the bubble for pool C, comprising Canada, Cuba, Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic to the Dominican Republic with games from November 27 to December 1, while pool D for the Bahamas, the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico, to Washington during the same dates.

#Teams listed in pools A and B – Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay – are all scheduled to play in a bubble in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

#“From September 9th, based on the number of COVID-19 cases we had, FIBA would have approached the Bahamas to host the bubble for the eight teams in pool B and C,” Bowleg said. “We approached Baha Mar, who was our basic sponsor over the few years.

#“The federation also sent out the information to both ministries, particularly the Ministry of Tourism on how we could jumpstart our economy at the end of November. We felt that the Bahamas government would be willing to assist the federation in securing the bubble here.

#“We felt it would have been good for the Bahamas because we would have had people back to work at the hotel and all of the $150,000 that it was estimated to host the event here would have stayed in the country.”

#FIBA decided to stage the second window in a bubble format as they took into account the health protocols stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. The format allows FIBA to facilitate the implementation of governmental sanitary protocols required by many countries across America’s zone.

#The top three teams from each group will qualify for the FIBA AmeriCup 2022, which is the first leg of the qualification process for the 2024 Olympic Games.

#By not hosting the bubble, the federation will have to secure about $80,000 to fund the team that will travel to compete in Washington where they will also have to pay for their COVID-19 testing before and during the games played in the bubble in Washington at a price of about $120 per person, including all players, coaches, management and medical staff.

#“We’ve had several meetings with head coach Chris DeMarco, who will be coaching the team along with Norris Bain and Perry Thompson Jr and we are now looking at who is available,” Bowleg pointed out.

#“We have some players who are based in the United States who didn’t go back to Europe because of COVID-19, which will help cut down on the ticket prices. We still plan on bringing in one or two from Europe, so we feel we have a good change of putting together a good team to compete in this round.”

#Bowleg said their priority as the second ranked team in their pool is to win or at least split their two games against Puerto Rico, which would allow them to be in a better position when they play their home game here in February in their bid to advance to the FIBA AmeriCup 2022.

#“By then, we are hoping that we can host the bubble where we can have the teams come in,” Bowleg said. “We know the financial strain that the country is in as a result of the pandemic, but if we had a chance to host the bubble next month, it would have helped us out in an economic crisis.

#“We would have been about to televise the games, which would have provided an opportunity for advertisements, letting people know that the Bahamas was open back up for business. The door, however, is closed for us to host the bubble next month.

#“The only thing I can do now is to ensure that we send the team off to compete to represent us as a country. This is a good opportunity for us to start qualifying for the 2024 Olympics while we have players like Deandre Ayton and Chavano “Buddy” Hield in their prime. So we have to find the funds for the team to travel.”

#Once they can obtain their annual grant from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and solicit the sponsorship from corporate Bahamas, Bowleg said they can achieve their goal.

#“With only the top three teams in each pool advancing, we can’t allow Puerto Rico to beat us out,” Bowleg stated. “If we lose both games to them, we automatically drop into the fourth spot. So we have to make sure that they don’t beat us.

#“We know we have some prime time teams like the United States and Puerto Rico, but we believe that with the team we can assemble, we can qualify. We just need the funding since we couldn’t host the bubble, to get the team off to compete before we host the home games next year.” 

Bbf Needs To Secure At Least $80,000

By Brent Stubbs

As of Monday, October 19, 2020

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#After missing out on the opportunity to host the second window of the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers in a bubble here, the Bahamas Basketball Federation will now have to secure at least $80,000 to send the men’s national basketball team off to compete.

#BBF President Mario Bowleg indicated over the weekend that they applied to both the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture since September with their request to stage the bubble for eight teams in pool C and D at either Atlantis on Paradise Island or Baha Mar, but they didn’t get any commitment until it was too late.

#FIBA decided to take the bubble for pool C, comprising Canada, Cuba, Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic to the Dominican Republic with games from November 27 to December 1, while pool D for the Bahamas, the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico, to Washington during the same dates.

#Teams listed in pools A and B – Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay – are all scheduled to play in a bubble in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

#“From September 9th, based on the number of COVID-19 cases we had, FIBA would have approached the Bahamas to host the bubble for the eight teams in pool B and C,” Bowleg said. “We approached Baha Mar, who was our basic sponsor over the few years.

#“The federation also sent out the information to both ministries, particularly the Ministry of Tourism on how we could jumpstart our economy at the end of November. We felt that the Bahamas government would be willing to assist the federation in securing the bubble here.

#“We felt it would have been good for the Bahamas because we would have had people back to work at the hotel and all of the $150,000 that it was estimated to host the event here would have stayed in the country.”

#FIBA decided to stage the second window in a bubble format as they took into account the health protocols stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. The format allows FIBA to facilitate the implementation of governmental sanitary protocols required by many countries across America’s zone.

#The top three teams from each group will qualify for the FIBA AmeriCup 2022, which is the first leg of the qualification process for the 2024 Olympic Games.

#By not hosting the bubble, the federation will have to secure about $80,000 to fund the team that will travel to compete in Washington where they will also have to pay for their COVID-19 testing before and during the games played in the bubble in Washington at a price of about $120 per person, including all players, coaches, management and medical staff.

#“We’ve had several meetings with head coach Chris DeMarco, who will be coaching the team along with Norris Bain and Perry Thompson Jr and we are now looking at who is available,” Bowleg pointed out.

#“We have some players who are based in the United States who didn’t go back to Europe because of COVID-19, which will help cut down on the ticket prices. We still plan on bringing in one or two from Europe, so we feel we have a good change of putting together a good team to compete in this round.”

#Bowleg said their priority as the second ranked team in their pool is to win or at least split their two games against Puerto Rico, which would allow them to be in a better position when they play their home game here in February in their bid to advance to the FIBA AmeriCup 2022.

#“By then, we are hoping that we can host the bubble where we can have the teams come in,” Bowleg said. “We know the financial strain that the country is in as a result of the pandemic, but if we had a chance to host the bubble next month, it would have helped us out in an economic crisis.

#“We would have been about to televise the games, which would have provided an opportunity for advertisements, letting people know that the Bahamas was open back up for business. The door, however, is closed for us to host the bubble next month.

#“The only thing I can do now is to ensure that we send the team off to compete to represent us as a country. This is a good opportunity for us to start qualifying for the 2024 Olympics while we have players like Deandre Ayton and Chavano “Buddy” Hield in their prime. So we have to find the funds for the team to travel.”

#Once they can obtain their annual grant from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and solicit the sponsorship from corporate Bahamas, Bowleg said they can achieve their goal.

#“With only the top three teams in each pool advancing, we can’t allow Puerto Rico to beat us out,” Bowleg stated. “If we lose both games to them, we automatically drop into the fourth spot. So we have to make sure that they don’t beat us.

#“We know we have some prime time teams like the United States and Puerto Rico, but we believe that with the team we can assemble, we can qualify. We just need the funding since we couldn’t host the bubble, to get the team off to compete before we host the home games next year.” 

By Brent Stubbs

Monday, October 19, 2020

DEYTON Albury

#DESPITE losing their first game of the pre-season, Deyton Albury and the Believe Prep Academy basketball team had an impressive showing at the Big House Complex in Tavares, Florida, over the weekend.

#In the four games they played, Believe Prep Academy completed the jamboree with a 3-1 win-loss record. Albury, however, only played in three of their games as they had two teams entered in the jamboree.

#Meanwhile, Garreth Edgecombe and Franklin Prep Academy were not as successful, losing all three of the games they played in the jamboree – 59-47 to Feltrim Academy, 60-46 to Downey Christian and 75-60 to Miami Prep Elite.

#The jamboree, hosted by Elite Basketball Services Juco Showcase & Hoop Exchange, featured some of the top prep college teams in the United States.

#Believe Prep started the jamboree with a 51-43 win over NTSI PG. They also won 55-40 over DME Sparks Academy and 59-42 over IMG Performers PG Elite. However, their only loss came at the hands of DCP, over powered Believe Prep in every category with a 74-36 rout.

#“Once again, we as a team, played good, hard and tough,” said Albury, as he credited coach Kevin Jackson for keeping them motivated each game. “It’s only the beginning and we are making statements now so later on, it’s going to be scary.”

#In two of the games he played in, Albury wracked up 20 points and he had 19 in another.

#“I played more trying to get an impact on every area by letting my scoring and rebounding doing the talking,” Albury said.

#“But my defence could’ve been better. I just need to improve a little in that area.”

#Both Albury and Edgecombe, former team-mates at Temple Christian Academy where they made an impact on the Suns’ senior boys’ basketball team, are making their college debut after graduating from high school.

#Albury, 18, left Temple Christian two years ago for the United States where he went on to star for Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas in basketball and football.

#Edgecombe, also 18, left Temple Christian and moved to Galilee Academy where he graduated this year as well.

#Albury and Edgecombe played together this summer as they were reunited with their Suns’ coach Jamal Smith to play in a few AAU Tournaments during the coronavirus pandemic strucken summer to prepare them both for prep college.

#They are both using prep college to prepare themselves for their journey through college as they seek to secure athletic scholarships.

By Renaldo Dorsett

Monday, October 19, 2020

#ANDRE Arthur became the latest Bahamian prospect to join the Miami Marlins farm system.

#The Marlins signed the 17-year-old, 6’5” 185-pound outfielder out of the International Elite Sports Academy last week on the final day of the 2019-20 International Signing Period.

#The International Signing Period traditionally runs from July 2 through June 15 of the following year, but Major League Baseball made an extension of an additional four months due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic which readjusted the league’s schedule.

#Arthur joins current major leaguer Jazz Chisholm and minor league prospect Ian Lewis in the Marlins organisation. Chisholm made his MLB debut this season while Lewis is currently participating in the Florida Instructional League.

#He also became the fifth Bahamian signed during the current period following Lewis, Everett Cooper (Houston Astros), Dax Stubbs (Baltimore Orioles) and Zion Bannister (Texas Rangers).

#Arthur was the latest of more than a dozen Marlins prospects signed during the current signing period. He was the second prospect signed by the team since the end of the regular season on October 8, following Venezuelan pitcher Yoelvis Burguillos.

#A busy 2018 season for Arthur on the Perfect Game Showcase circuit with Maximum Development Academy was highlighted by his selection to the PG 14U Select Baseball Festival. He also participated in the 2018 WWBA Freshman World Championship, WWBA 15U National Championship and the 15U BCS National Championship.

#Adrian Lorenzo, Marlins’ special assistant of Baseball Operations, expressed his excitement at the growth of baseball in the Bahamas at Lewis’ signing.

#“This baseball market is a particular passion project of mine to make sure the players from this country continue to develop. I want to point that out so people can appreciate what’s been going on here, to develop this baseball market in such a short amount of time is quite a testament to what is going on in the Bahamas.”

#MLB officially announced that the next International Signing Period is scheduled to run from January 15 to December 15, 2021.

Tiger Woods

By Renaldo Dorsett

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

#Another major event on The Bahamas’ sports tourism calendar has been cancelled due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

#Tiger Woods’ TGR Foundation officially announced that the 2020 Hero World Challenge, traditionally hosted at the Albany resort, will not be played this year, but the event looks to return in 2021. This year’s event was tentatively scheduled for December 3-6.

#“Given the current global restrictions and ongoing developments resulting from COVID-19, the 2020 Hero World Challenge will not be played this year,” the organisation said in an official statement published to various social media outlets yesterday.

#“This decision was made with the health and well-being of all tournament constituents and the Albany community in mind. We look forward to hosting 18 of the top players in the world and welcoming tournament guests to Albany, Bahamas next year.”

#An avid vacationer to the Bahamas, Woods has been a staple on the local sports tourism scene since the inception of the Bahamas’ version of the event in 2015. The Tiger Woods Foundation has been the event’s primary charitable beneficiary, along with the Tavistock Foundation and Bahamas Youth Foundation.

#Past champions in the event have included Bubba Watson, Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama and most recently, Henrik Stenson.

#Stenson’s win at the 2019 event also raised funds toward Hurricane Dorian Relief through a challenge issued by the event’s title sponsor, Hero MotoCorp.

#Hero MotoCorp issued a challenge to the field and pledged $500 for every birdie, $1,000 for every eagle and $2,500 for every ace with proceeds given to the One Bahamas Fund.

#The Players raised $184,500 and One Bahamas planned to match the donation for a total of $369,000.

#In September 2019, Woods also partnered with singer/actor Justin Timberlake, Nexus, RBC and Albany Bahamas to establish the ONE Bahamas Fund to aid the rebuilding efforts in Abaco and Grand Bahama.

#In the days following Dorian, the group also donated $6 million toward the various stakeholders in the recovery.

#The week of festivities began last year with a new addition, the inaugural “Hero Shot at Baha Mar” – won by Woods, followed by the pre-tournament Pro-Am and the main event.

#The Hero World Challenge is a four-round, 72-hole stroke play event with a $3.5 million purse, a $1 million winner’s prize and Official World Golf Ranking points awarded. It features 18 of the top golfers on the PGA Tour.

Friday, October 16, 2020

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#The NCAA’s Division I Council made a major announcement that could extend the eligibility of several Bahamian student-athletes that compete in the organisation’s winter sports.

#Winter sports include basketball, gymnastics, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, ice hockey, and wrestling.

#The council voted that student athletes who compete during 2020-21 in Division I will receive both an additional season of competition and an additional year in which to complete it. It now gives athletes an opportunity for an additional season to play “five years in a six year span”, rather than the traditional “four years in a five year span” scenario.

#“The pandemic will continue to impact winter sport seasons in ways we can’t predict. Council members opted to provide for winter sport student-athletes the same flexibility given spring and fall sports previously,” said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Pennsylvania. “The actions today ensure the continuation of local decision-making in the best interest of each institution and its student-athletes.”

#In March, the Division I Council previously allowed programmes to extend an additional season of competition and eligibility to participants in spring sports.

#Spring sports affected in the decision include baseball, softball, tennis, golf, track and field (outdoor) lacrosse, rowing, men’s volleyball, beach volleyball and women’s water polo.

#It will also allow for roster expansion through increased scholarship limits for baseball, the only spring sport with such a limit.

#The decision to play fall sports have varied across conferences, however, irrespective of the conference decision, the year will not count toward an athlete’s eligibility for their NCAA career.

Friday, October 16, 2020

TRAVIS MUNNINGS

Jonathan Augustin-Fairell

#By RENALDO DORSETT

#Tribune Sports Reporter

#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

#Both Bahamian pro basketball players in Portugal’s Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol (LPB) got off to winning starts in their 2020 regular season debuts.

#Travis Munnings and Jonathan Augustin-Fairell were both among the leading scorers for their respective clubs in the top tier league in the country.

#Munnings finished with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists to help UD Oliveirense to a 73-53 win over Ovarense on the road.

#Munnings and the frontcourt helped outrebound their opponents 47-24, including a 21-7 advantage on the offensive boards.

#Oliveirense is the two time defending champion and Munnings joined their quest for a third consecutive title after last season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

#They return to the court October 17 when they host Galitos-Barreiro.

#Augustin-Fairell scored a team high 15 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead FC Porto to a 62-55 win over Academica. He shot 7-10 from the field and also added two steals.

#They also return to the court October 17 when they face Vitoria SC.

#Munnings concluded last season with La Rochelle Stade Rochelais of France’s NM1 League. He averaged 17.5 points, eight rebounds and 3.8 assists per game through six games.

#“My expectations are very simple, make everyone remember me as one of the hardest players. I know and understand that Oliveirense Basquetebol has a great coaching staff as well hungry players that are skilled on many levels,” Munnigs said, “I also know that the support from the community is a huge factor in the team’s success and you have to appreciate such gems like that.”

#Augustin-Fairell is in his fifth season of professional basketball and has now played in five countries – Austria, France, Belgium and most recently, Argentina. He began last season with Basic-Fit Brussels in Belgium’s Euromillions League, where in 14 games he averaged 20.7 minutes, 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He then concluded the season with Obras in Argentina’s La Liga where he played just five games before the season was abruptly ended due to COVID-19. He averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

RONN Rodgers putting the finishing touches to his new gym.

Friday, October 16, 2020

RONN RODGERS

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WITH his relocation to Tampa, Florida, thwarted because of the coronavirus pandemic, Strikers Boxing Club’s coach Ronn Rodgers has decided to set up a new local boxing gym.

#Aptly named the Strikers Covid Edition, the new gym is outdoors in Marshall Road South. He’s expected to have it completed by next week with all the painting and equipment placed in it.

#But Rodgers said he’s waiting on the approval from Prime Minister Hubert Minnis on the reopening of beaches, parks and recreational areas before he officially opens its doors.

#Rodgers, who was last located at the former Champion Boxing Club, owned by Ray Minus Jr, on Wulff Road, said after watching the number of cases soar in Florida, he opted not to take up the offer to coach the club in Tampa.

#“When I was over there recently negotiating for a fight, one of the fighters came down with Covid-19,” Rodgers pointed out. “They ended up canceling the entire event, so I told myself that this doesn’t make any sense, so we decided to stay.

#“The job offer is still on the table. They called me last week. They still want me to come over. In fact. They want me to come over next month, but I don’t think I will make that move. I will entertain them, but I think I’m going to stay here for now.”

#With Minus Jr’s gym closed and being relocated to his home further down on Wulff Road east, and the National Boxing Gym at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex as the only venue open, Rodgers said there’s a need for him to get his gym underway, even though it’s outside of the average grass root boxer.

#“There’s a need for boxing gyms to open up in the country right now,” Rodgers stated. “The Bahamas Boxing Commission called me the other day concerned about it, so I decided to stay.”

#Compared to his previous locations, including the Carmichael Road Shopping Center where Rodgers attracted a number of boxers as well as fitness enthusiasts, he noted that this new location will provide all of the amenities needed to enhance a proper training programme for the boxers.

#“It’s going to be outdoors with a cover, but we have ample running space in the yard,” he pointed out. “In the city, there was no room to run, but here, we have all the space that they need to run and train.

#“I know it’s going to affect some of the boxers that I worked with in the past, but I realize that there’s always an opportunity for boxers because since I’ve started building this one, I’ve had a number of kids coming around asking if they can join.”

#With the new gym located in close proximity to the Anatol Rodgers Secondary High School, Rodgers said he intended to tap into the idle young men to get them involved in the Strikers Covid Edition.

#“I was advertising it to some of my members and I told them since this is going to be here for a while, I wanted to name it after the coronavirus pandemic. I thought it was a catchy name. Hopefully it will catch on and grow with the boxers who come out and participate.”