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“It was the most unthinkable thing any organisation could do to an athlete who had invested so much time…”
United States international gymnastics coach John Geddert blasted the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF), during an interview with I95.5 FM this evening, for destroying the Rio 2016 Olympic dreams of local gymnast, Thema Williams.
Looking on are Williams’ parents, Leon Williams (right) and Helen Adams (second from left).
(Courtesy Wired868)
The live interview was conducted at the same time that the TTGF held its own press conference at the Chamber of Commerce in Westmoorings—the latter organisation scheduled its meeting a day after the radio station.
Williams was replaced by her alternate, Marisa Dick, on Friday night although TTGF president David Marquez only informed Geddert of the decision on Saturday morning. The gymnastics board never officially communicated its decision to Williams.
Geddert, whose report on Williams’ poor training performance on Friday and sore ankle was cited as the TTGF’s reason for replacing the athlete, told I.95.5 FM that he regrets the wording of his email.
“I regret sending them a report that was incomplete,” said Geddert, “and I regret sending them the ammunition to make the decision that I think they always wanted to make…
“Thema had a disappointing practice. Athletes have disappointing practises all the time…
“You are supposed to give them an honest report of what is going on.… Now, in hindsight, it obviously should not have been.”
(Courtesy Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs)
Geddert justified his claim of TTGF bias against Williams by pointing out the board’s efforts to change the rules when his athlete initially qualified for the Rio Test event as well as its controversial decision to sanction her for a topless photo.
“They wanted to scratch her immediately (over the photograph) and then when one came out with Marisa the whole thing was dropped,” said Geddert. “I have dealt with countless associations over the years and I have never had to deal with so much drama as I’ve had in this two year period—ever.”
Geddert reiterated that Marquez did not make any meaningful effort to reach him, which was “unthinkable” for: “a decision of this magnitude with all that has been invested.”
Williams qualified for the Rio Test event by placing 59th at the Glasgow 2015 World Championships, which was 19 places higher than Dick.
However, Dick finished 55th of 61 participants in Rio to complete the job and secure a historic position at the Olympics for local gymnastics.
Dick was born in Canada to a Trinidadian mother, Hannifer.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Geddert insisted that Williams would have breezed through the Test event on April 17. Asked specifically about Dick’s chances of medalling, the coach who led the United States to gold at the London 2012 Olympics said the Canada-born gymnast had “zero chance.”
“Thema on her worst day would have easily met the minimum score that ended up qualifying,” said Geddert, “and she was in no way primed to make her worst performance. We were pacing our stallion…
“(Dick) is a terrific young lady. She is not at fault. She didn’t make any decisions (although) she may have benefitted from some decisions.
“(But) the ability to run, jump, dance… Thema is a far superior athlete and she showed it at the World Championships.”
Geddert explained that he left Rio on Saturday night to attend to a family emergency—believed to be a funeral—because he felt Williams’ legal appeals were doomed to fail.
Geddert coaches Trinidad and Tobago gymnast Thema Williams in Michigan.
(Copyright AFP 2016/Thomas Coex)
“Once we were within the 24 hour window, the game was over,” said Geddert. “There was no ability to appeal. We were will within that (24 hour period) when I got on a plane…
“She was there with her team manager (Nicole Fuentes) and she wanted to stay and she wasn’t coming home with me (to the United States). The game was over.”
Geddert described Williams as a wonderful role model for young athletes and was convinced that she would recover from her ill-fated attempt to get to the Olympics.
“She is a perfect role model for young athletes,” said the gymnastics coach. “She is smart, articulate, beautifully-spoken… I know Thema will land on her feet.
“She is a go-getter. As devastating as this may be, she is going to be fine.”
(Courtesy Wired868)
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
Exactly Leslie and the coach was part of it.
Ont know. It was set to me
Hi can’t answer that, I wish I could. But it was a sinister plot from day zero one
same George from Tamarin FM in Tobago?
Leslie-Ann Boisselle I agree that it stinks to high heavens it really does, but the coach put down the second to last load and it baffles me as to why he would send such a report??? That is my ONLY issue here. He claims to have been aware of a “plot” to remove his athlete, then why file such a report, especially since little injuries are part of the game? he even suggested her withdraw? He stated she ahd no chance of podium? Huh? really???
He probably couldn’t imagine anyone would be so nasty. Thought they were in the clear and he could be honest.
It’s sad that Thema got cut down from her coach and the board. Trinidad is the loser here. If I was Thema I would get citizenship in another country and compete for them. Trinis don’t appreciate a good thing.
You know why they making excuses for the coach, because they already point all fingers at the crappy board, they shame to admit that the coach provided the first weapon against Thema.
Mervyn like you not reading the comments or what? Steups
Mervyn Skeete coaches make that call a lot, stop it. The Board may be shitty, my point is why the excuses for the coach??
Watch now the TTGF will now turn on Geddert .
I really can’t explain it in any simpler terms…even if the coach says the athlete is unfit…THE TEAM DOCTOR AND THE ATHLETE HAS THE FINAL SAY…Please understand that….no one else…PHEW !!!
Mervyn Skeete you have too much time and patience …
and this is exactly what we’re saying… these are the coach’s words 1. he rec’d an email in error and also admitted that he was aware they were conniving to replace her 2. he knew she was fit and would qualify on her worst day… now why send an email like that a few hours before the test? the timing of the email and the fact that Marissa apparently was well on her way before his email.. the ttgf KNEW they were getting ammunition from somewhere.. in a short space of time everybody appeared in Rio just so..
the contract doesnt say that.
Dennis..go read their Constitution….TTGF.
the two athletes signed a contract. scan through the related reporting on http://www.wired868.com
Did.
Yes why died he now regret sending the email.
hahaha Good Night, The Coach sucks
Well he might be getting one after this fiasco that he started.
WHY DID THE PHYSIO AND DOCTOR NOT be required to file status reports?
I’m still stunned that Trinis defending that awful coach!!! I tell you.
Shireen I am not defending anyone.. But if he was so awful and never followed Rules and Regulations.. don’t you think by now he would have had some law suits against him..
He really screwed his charge, why did he now say he regrets sending the email??
Because I am sure he never believed that our Board was so backward and third world
Because he never believed the board would be so vindictive as to actually breach their contract and remove Thema.
Dawn Cameron he said he knew they were after her..so why the emails then?
Not just backward. Breach! At an Olympic qualifier!
As Nicole said, a contract was in hand…
Well then he wasn’t following what was going on. Because since it happen ppl cannot stop saying how it was the plan all along. So ppl not involved in the situation knew how vindictive they would get but he didn’t…
And this is not the end. Taking that action (the board) could never stand. It cannot stand. What might fly in T&T will not be tolerated at the Olympic level. You cannot place and then believe that will pressure people into accepting your decision. Good governance and fair play above all.
I hear you Shireen, but too often we in Trinidad and Tobago are so accustom to bad, fly by night and anything goes by administrators that doing the right thing just never comes into our mind.
As NIcole said not only the right thing, but following international standards, rules and regulations
lol the Physio and Doc say she is fine, the coach says she is not, Board screwed up, Coach precipitated such’
Mervyn we are aware of that but surely the coach’s input will be a part of that decision.
RULES and REGULATIONS…
I don’t know if I can get through to people who do not really understand the procedure with regard to selection on a National Team OR selection for an individual event.let me put it in caps…THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN DETERMINE IF AN ATHLETE IS FIT OR UNFIT FOR COMPETITION IS A MEDICAL PERSON….A DOCTOR,.. AND IN THE DOCTOR’S ABSENCE..A PHYSIO….NO ONE ELSE…NO PRESIDENT, NO COACH. .
Whether the coach should have or not can be debated, but who and what normal association would not try to contact a coach? There is such a thing as phones in a room, contacting other officials present like Fuentes to contact him etc.. As a coach if you are accustom to giving honest reports and queries being discussed first before important decisions are made, why should he have altered standard procedure. In any sport performing through injuries, problems with new apparatus etc are the norm, what makes the coach’s report any different. Make no mistake rules, regulations and procedures are at the root of this problem. No excuse, nancy story or any other story can make me believe not even one word Marquez said. Reading some of these comments I am deducing that the coach should have fudged, left out, conveniently forget or flat out lie… God forbid anything were to happen had see participated it would have been a next story. RULES, REGULATIONS and PROCEDURES end of story. If these were followed, without interference from within, well we wouldn’t not be here today.
The fact that he asked her to withdraw last week because of injury only became truth on the third day? On day one and two those things weren’t true?
Why he didn’t mention it before the night before the competition?
Was he suppose to give a report other than when expected.
Withdraw from one event btw – not entirely.
Yes he ahd a right to UPDATE the report,e specially since he said he asked her to withdraw…!!
He was supposed to give daily. They were there for three days. In the reports for day one and two he made no mention of any injury or asking her to withdraw. Then on day three, in the third report… BOOM!
Not only that he planned to leave to attend a funeral too
I agree with that, he had a right to update the report, but the rules and regulations also were supposed to be followed, the Physio on hand gave her report.. then who was she, why was she there if you refused to take her advice
Why not say it before if you weren’t playing games too and waiting until the last moment when you thought it would be too late to replace Thema?
Mind you half the Trinis miss this eh! Pointing fingers all over the place but not at the real culprit. We are jokey people.
Thema’s coach talking:
“(Dick) is a terrific young lady. She is not at fault. She didn’t make any decisions (although) she may have benefitted from some decisions.
“(But) the ability to run, jump, dance… Thema is a far superior athlete and she showed it at the World Championships.”
“I regret sending them the ammunition to make the decision that I think they always wanted to make…”
Nuff said. Sorry, Wired868. Three paragraphs and he’s said all the essential stuff it took you about 20 stories to say.
and since ttgf couldn’t follow protocol, he could backtrack now and give interview playing he love and care about Thema..
Sigh
Blast everybody except the man who provided the ammunition. Trinis like everybody more than they like themselves.
The coach simply gave them ammunition they needed to rreplace Thema.. knowing fully well ttgf could / would not folow protocol procedures as that would have stopped them… he’s a skunk!
Yep. Send a very negative email talking about injuries and disasters when you know people out for her head. Way to have her back, coach! Way to have her back!
The Coach’s report have me confused as hell If it were merely a sore ankle, why talk about withdrawal? Why say Podium not in sight? Seems like he felt she was not capabale
Good night.
Ah done. Cheers and good night
She had a sore ankle and as he and many other professionals in the gymnastics fraternity at that level all is the athletes have niggling things
Right Leslie.
Agreed the board did nonsense but Geddert set the wheels in motion. Poor Thema.
So she was injured then Leslie-Ann Boisselle? You believe the coach?
And therein lies my opinion..The Board may have erred, But in all fairness the Coach did the hatchet job for them
I don’t thin that he did a hatchet job. But ah done. We won’t agree. Cheers
Nope to shireen and there is blame enough to go all around Chandani
Chandani Boodoo that one had me confused. Imagine that, he is a nasty piece of work and he has his partners on the TTGF as well.
Ok sweetheart. I know the Board is shit, but the coach is a mountain of shit
So Leslie-Ann Boisselle based on that, it’s safe to say that Geddert was lying?
We walking parallel roads in this ladies and the Twain shall not meet. So I will leave it thereb
So he knew they after her, yet he saing he wanted her to withdraw two weeks before competition???
So if the coach says she was injured obviously the board will not send her, so Geddert gets a free pass??? While we bashing everybody left, right and centre.
I have no idea!
Leslie-Ann Boisselle http://wired868.com/2016/04/20/themad-have-qualified-on-her-worst-day-geddert-blasts-ttgfs-unthinkable-act/
And he made no mention of injury in the first two emails. Which I thought made the third email even worse.
but last week was before they were in Rio
Exactly. As an international coach there is no way he would have gone to rio if he really thought that she was injured
He as an international coach should never have said she had no chance at Podium
So he just boldfaced lie in the email when he said he told her to withdraw last week?
So ppl suggesting the man is a liar and he still getting a pass???
If the coach say he tell her to withdraw since last week and she showed no signs of improvement and was a disaster, why the hell the board wouldn’t withdraw her??? For the once chance to get the country to the Olympics?? When they done already against her??? Was he drunk when he wrote the email???
listen eh folks … maybe the law really is an ass but the coach could have said whatever he wanted but it is the board that acted ultra vires and that is what will be tried
Sounding like we listed to two different interviews. But as I said I agree to disagree
The Coach saying he knows they wanted her out, so then why the hell would you give them the ammunition to slaughter a lamb? And now Dick getting shit. Is competition