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The Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF) will achieve a personal milestone at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, as—for the first time in its history—the local board will send a gymnast to the world’s most illustrious sporting event.
But, according to how you review the circumstances, it will not be the one who deserved to go.
(Courtesy Hannifer Dick)
Twenty year old Thema Williams, a former St Joseph’s Convent (Port of Spain) student, earned a chance at the Rio spot on 23 October 2015 in the Glasgow World Championships.
But in the end, it was her alternate, 18 year old old Marisa Dick, who competed at the crucial Rio Test event on April 17, which confirmed Trinidad and Tobago’s place at the Olympics.
And despite the controversy over the manner of Williams’ deselection—on the eve of the Test event—the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) ruled today, in a press conference at the Olympic House in Port of Spain, that Dick will go.
TTOC president Brian Lewis said the “game changer” was the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) release on 29 April which “confirmed that the name change from Thema Williams to Marisa Dick was duly made by the TTGF in accord with the declaration by the FIG.”
The FIG’s position, according to the TTOC, suggested that the international body had cleared the procedure used by the TTGF in removing Williams. This release—and Lewis referred to the FIG’s timing as “curious”—was seen as an invitation to legal action against the TTOC, should it rule against Dick.
Yet, even as Lewis endorsed Dick, he suggested that the TTGF could be disciplined under Clause 13 of its constitution—which is entitled “Measures and Sanctions”—and lamented the position that the TTOC found itself in. It is the first time that the TTOC has ever invoked that clause.
“It is a dark cloud over the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic movement,” said Lewis. “Public confidence in the governance of sport has been shaken… We deplore the situation that the ttoc has found itself in.”
Yet, Lewis confirmed that the procedure taken in Williams’ withdrawal was a consideration in the local Olympic body decision—but opted to select Dick anyway.
Possible disciplinary action notwithstanding, the TTOC’s choice, arguably, might be seen as vindication for TTGF president David Marquez’s decision to send Dick to Rio de Janeiro on the night of Friday April 15 while Williams and her coach, John Geddert, were asleep in their respective rooms.
“I said to myself before bed, one more day to clean up and fix my routine and prepare myself for competition on (April) 17th,” said Williams, at a press conference last Wednesday. “But when I woke up on the 16th, I received a call from my mother stating I was no longer the representative…
“I just wanted to go to the Olympics since I was at least eight years old. To know that that dream was being taken away from me, without even my knowledge. There was no consultation that took place…
“I went to (coach John Geddert’s room) immediately and said, did you hear the news? I had tears in my eyes.”
Ostensibly, the decision hinged on a training report submitted by Geddert on Friday evening, which claimed that Williams was bothered by a sore ankle and was having problems with her landings.
The report did not recommend that Williams should be pulled from the Test event. And, as has been oft repeated ever since, the TTGF’s athlete agreement stated that the former Tots and Tumblers could only be withdrawn by the “head of delegation in consultation with my coach and relevant medical personnel.”
The TTGF initially suggested that its head of delegation was massage therapist Nicole Fuentes, who did not support the decision to withdraw Williams. However, the local body subsequently claimed that Marquez, who was in Trinidad, was actually the head of delegation—and Fuentes herself said she was not the HOD.
Regardless, the gymnastics federation, which also included one of Dick’s coaches Ricardo Lue Shue, did not have a medical report or get the okay from Williams’ coach.
(Courtesy Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs)
The TTGF did have attorney Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC though, who was hired immediately after the Test event.
And on Saturday afternoon, when Marquez and TTGF general secretary Elicia Peters-Charles met the TTOC contingent of Lewis, Annette Knott, Ian Hypolite, Diane Henderson and Dr Terrence Ali at the Olympic House, a new narrative had emerged.
A gymnastics insider pointed to the entire clause in Williams’ contract, which read: “I will participate for the full duration of the event unless I am excused by the head of delegation in consultation with my coach and relevant medical personnel.”
Marquez, the TTGF argued, was not bound by that stipulation. The clause was only the criteria for if Williams wished to withdraw on her own.
So what was the TTGF bound to then? Wasn’t the pre-World Championship contract—which stipulated that the top performing T&T gymnast in Glasgow, Williams, would participate at the Rio Test event—worth something?
(Copyright AFP 2016/Andy Buchanan)
“In law, it is referred to as the man on the Clapham omnibus,” said the gymnastics source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “(The contract) is silent on when the Federation can pull an athlete because it can do so at will. But it must show reason which can be worked out from any man on the street.”
And that “reason”, according to the TTGF, was Geddert’s email.
“Podium was a disaster with 6 falls on 3 events,” stated Geddert, on April 15. “She has been dealing with a sore ankle to the point that I asked her to withdraw last week.
“She assured me she can do this. We have been limiting all pounding and landings yet today she showed little signs of being able to perform well. We will rest tomorrow and rely on heart.”
Presumably, Marquez and Peters-Charles used the ‘man on the Clapham omnibus’ defence to Lewis, Knott, Hypolite, Henderson and Ali: What would you have done? Left Williams to rely on heart? Or pulled her in the middle of the night without a word to the coach or athlete?
The TTOC appeared to have been leaning in Marquez’s direction anyway. By the time the TTGF and TTOC representatives met, Williams’ chances of getting her spot back had virtually evaporated.
(Courtesy Wired868)
On Friday April 29, the FIG gave its position, which was Dick’s name was the only one that would be accepted from Trinidad and Tobago.
“Since the qualification place earned by Marisa Dick is nominative,” stated FIG secretary general André Gueisbuhler, “no name change or replacement is possible.”
It was not an unexpected response as Williams’ attorneys, Keith Scotland and Dr Emir Crowne, were banking primarily on the IOC’s Tripartite Commission and, as a matter of last resort, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
But, on the afternoon of Friday April 29, the TTOC delivered a more damaging blow to Williams’ hopes.
“The FIG has confirmed today that no name change or replacement is possible at this stage,” stated Lewis, “any approach to the Tripartite Commission can only be made through the auspices of the TTOC with the endorsement of the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation.”
As it turned out, the TTOC did not qualify for assistance from the Tripartite Commission in any case. But Lewis’ message that the TTGF would need to sanction any possible appeal was a crushing psychological blow to “Team Thema.”
(Courtesy TTOC)
On Sunday, in an interview with 107 FM, Lewis gave another hint of where the TTOC was blowing as he noted that the local Olympic committee was mindful “not to throw out the baby with the bath water.”
This morning, Lewis confirmed that the TTOC would not stand in Dick’s way.
For many newly converted gymnastics fans—who read emails from Dick’s mother, Hannifer Dick, that lobbied for the Canada-born athlete to replace Williams, after she was beaten fair and square—the decision might grate.
“I wanted to let you know that Marisa is now aware that she was not chosen to go to the test event in Rio,” stated Hannifer, on 9 November 2015. “It was posted onto the TTOC website which Thema has shared. Marisa is heart broken because nowhere there does it mention that she has represented Trinidad and Tobago for the last four years and has done so with the utmost respect for everyone involved.
“I have tried to tell her that there is hope but at this point she does not feel like anyone is fighting for her…
“It is a hard thing to see your child cry when she knows how hard she has worked to accomplish all that she has and to have it be so unfair to her.”
(Courtesy Wired868)
Williams was annoyed too by Dick’s insistence on repeating at interviews that the former gymnast was injured.
“She is not a doctor,” said Williams. “The medics said ‘you are fine’ (so) I don’t feel she is at liberty to make those statements… I am baffled that she would say that…
“What (the TTGF) did was blatantly unjust and if you’re not against it, you’re for it. I believe that says a lot about character.”
Dick’s suggestion, during a CBC interview in Canada on 13 January 2016, that it was “cut throat time”—two months after Williams was confirmed as Trinidad and Tobago’s sole representative for Rio—may cast a shadow over her for some time yet.
But the gifted gymnast, who was the TTGF’s 2015 female gymnast of the year, executed when it mattered, as she sealed a historic Olympic place for her adopted country on April 17.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
And the TTOC decided that it did not have sufficient grounds to stop her from representing “Red, Black and White” in Rio.
It is a memorable day in local gymnastics. Even though many may not feel like celebrating.
Editor’s Note: Click HERE to read the TTOC’s full statement at its mid-morning press conference.
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. The problem of LIFE in our little country is not one of resources. It is one of VISION and LEADERSHIP. The bankrupt TTGF should have killed this nonsense immediately it arose. The TTOA should have abandoned the Olympic place and stood on PRINCIPLE. We not winning anything in Rio. And the MOS will do nothing. Vision and Leadership..
We stand for nothing.
Set of WIMPS.
Well i hope the tv provider is buying the feed from NBC we stand a very good chance of not even know she was part of the prelims cause if u not part of the US team or a threat to the US team we shall not hear or see a Dick. Based on her recent results she is no threat.
This is the same Brian Lewis that said the TTOC has the final say. Oh how they make strange bedfellows
Sadly we will be represented by a Dick. Does she know our National Anthem?…..or Bird?…..or Contributed or otherwise served our Country???
Would have hoped for more backbone from the TTOC on this. Makes a mockery of contracts and agreements.
??
And his team**
I am livid!
Bullcrap..and people expect people to support sports in dis country. Hahahhahaha . this country administrators are a bunch of clowns an with no balls to do what is right.. Is always ah bunch ah corruption they competing in.. Buh say what at least we no brian lewis a dis team had there ballz sized down to midget levels
Once again, Trinidad & Tobago Administrators show that they do not HAVE THE BALLS to make the HARD DECISIONS!!!
The TTOC has made the decision to send Marissa Dick.
Where is the justice for Thema Williams?!!!!
Just another athlete and sports issue to be swept under the rug by the SPORTS MAFIA of this TWIN ISLAND REPUBLIC!!!
https://www.facebook.com/TTOlympicCommittee/videos/1025500910829712/
the TTOC dropped the ball this time. Sorry to say, but because of the circumstances surrounding the situation, there should be NO athlete named to represent TnT . They had a chance to purge the entire organisation and reset the sport and administration , but as usual, they chose the easy way out. Confidence Lost.
Hope the Minister of Sports will not allow our money to be spent on sending a Canadian to Rio.
Exactly.
Bcuz she said she considers herself canadian & canada is her home.
Damn outta timing lil twit.
I dunno who she’s representing.
Certainly NOT ME.
I’m not claiming anybody who claims her trini roots conveniently.
I have a problem with a foreigner conveniently using T&T citizenship as a stepping stone to the Olympics, and then representing my country and me at those Games. Yes, legally, you have T&T citizenship by descent. But the question arises: when did your mother apply for T&T citizenship on your behalf?? Was it after you failed to make it onto your Canadian national team? Or was this part of a long-term strategy to get you there?
Marisa, you have publicly stated that while you will be representing T&T, you will always be Canadian at heart. Fine, this is understandable since you were born and grew up there.
But the only reason you will have the honour of wearing the Red, White and Black is because you would never qualify for your own national team, so you decided to get to the Olympics through the back door— EVEN IF this meant pulling strings and using connections to unseat the LEGITIMATE T&T representative, who scored far higher than you in the 2015 qualifying event.
I hope that you and your mother are satisfied with yourselves and can sleep at night, after months of your plotting, planning and scheming and the machinations of the TTGF to make you— the poorer performer of the two gymnasts!!!— the T&T representative.
You simply HAD to pursue your dream at all costs, didn’t you? Even at the cost of someone else’s career, of your integrity (was there ever any?) and of the wrath and contempt of the general T&T population.
I do not and never will view you as my representative: you are a pretender to the throne, and I do not see you as the legitimate representative of my country. Even if you win the Gold medal, I will not be celebrating.
Sad day for sport in this country. Marisa has been rewarded, unfortunately, for bad behaviour by both her camp and her TTGF insiders. Justice has not been delivered by any means and I hope Team Thema receives legal redress and compensation for this travesty foisted upon us all.
The TTGF has indeed cast a pall over the ainistration of this sport locally and, as I’ve said before, Hannifer’s pageant mom performance in this saga reeks of cronyism and false entitlement.
Neither of them was ever going to win a medal. At these Olympics.
…so that makes what happened OK? And pretty sure most said the same about Keshorn at the last Olympics. In fact most of us didn’t even know he existed then.
I said something was ok? Lol.
And nah… If you know about sports you’d know javelin and gymnastics are totally different.
Our girls start with difficulty scores in the 4.5 to 5.2 or thereabouts range. Simone Biles starts above 6.0.
That’s where you need to be if you want to medal.
I understand that. But your comment still baffles me.
People were talking about her winning a medal in previous comments. I responded and said neither was ever going to win a medal at this Olympics. Which part of the statement baffled you?
That part- it was impossible to know it was in response to other comments, so the mist is now clear
Jump high or low Trinidad would not be getting a gold medal for Gymnastics! Dick isn’t trying to medal for this country!If she had Jamaican blood she may have gone there to try and qualify too!Although I feel them Jamaicans would of dealt with them dicks differently!
As is the Norm in Trinidad…. “Is who you know and Who knows you”.
I’m not one bit Surprised by this Decision from TTOC ???
Not surprising sadly. The lesson is cheat, lie, self promote and misrepresent and in this banana Republic you will be successful. Especially if you’re a Dick.
Not surprised by this. It would take a lot of balls to not take the spot. Given where our society is, that was an unlikely scenario. Business as usual…cutting line, bribes…etc.
And it matters not to Dick that she will forever be the most hated Trini athlete….
hmmmmmm I support Thema no matter what, it is still not the end but if this girl don’t bring home a medal or something to just even get a look in her direction from Trinis I fear the vengeance of moko on her will be slow and harsh.
VENGEANCE OF MOKO eehehheeee, yuh know we Trinis go hard!
This was never about a medal as neither girl has a chance of medalling.
Even they did not have a chance of medalling due process was not followed!
I know. That’s why the TTOC should not have bothered to send Dick. All she going for is a vacation in Rio to promote her move on Trinidad expense.
Rio vacation….Nothing more.
For her and others…
Awful lot of Coffee in Brazil.
Totally disgusted
Smh the disbelief is total
I am very sorry.
Even if she medals no support from me. I cannot celebrate “good” obtained by nasty wicked evil means.
I cannot support dishonesty, apparent racism, nepotism, every other ism., corruption etc.
And as much as I’m disgusted by the dick jr, it pales in comparison to what I feel for Mrs. Dick, the TTGF etc.
Great role models. Great examples for the youth. ???????
Isn’t fairplay one of the basic values of sport?
..Medal? What medal?..
‘Even if she medals!’ That will be a miracle but I understand your points/concerns
Together they conspired. Together they archived.
Totally fed up with this story… complete Clusterfuck on TTGF behave .. to await resignations , firing … dismissals from persons on tht board will just give me Stress … because in Trinidad there is No Redress. … I only hope tht Keith makes them pay thru Thier teeth! !!!!
Take Dick den TTOC….Dick make Dey 2-knee hurt ?????
It was either Dick or no one. That was the only decision the TTOC had.
Ricarda Brian Lewis is yuh fren so yuh start to dodge bullets for him ahready. Chuppssss.
What there a problem with ‘no one’?
Up to now, no one can provide a proper timeline of how Thema was replaced. And provide the documentation to support it.
U on point
In fact I think she would have had a case if they tried to deny her. A more solid case than Thema even.
Well that’s a huge disappointment
Wellll yesss
I couldn’t bring myself to read the entire article.
Hell no we not supporting that.
BS!!!!
How are they so sure and based on what criteria will she create history ?
yes she created history by thiefing Thema’s dream away….
I expected that
Me too! I told Lasana last night they’re gonna send Marissa…hmmm
This is a backward step for Trinidad and Tobago..
As I expected. They couldn’t deny her if she wasn’t found to have done anything wrong.
I think FIG’s response left them no choice.
Disagree. FIG statement confirmed the facts as known at the time. We all knew that the spot was nominative. We knew there could be no swap. And we knew Thema’s deselection was a matter of breaching the agreements between athlete and Federation. Nothing to do with FIG.
The TTOC had the right to say the de-selection process was flawed and the prior actions relating to upholding their own criteria after worlds indicated apparent bias.
They had the opportunity to say we will not allow actions completely contrary to the Olympic spirit to be rewarded and cast a shadow on us at Rio.
They chose another route. But this is not over yet.
They cant punish an athlete who did nothing wrong but instead made all efforts to qualify for a spot. Punishing Marisa does not help Thema.
That same olympic spirit u speak of also relates to Marisa as a T&T athlete. It would not have been fair to her or T&T. The Court will decide what justice can be provided to Thema given the circumstances.
That’s fine. But that has nothing to do with FIG’s response.
FIG said they cant switch athletes so any hope of sending Thema was crushed. So TTOC was limited in its decision.
I’m saying that is not new. That is and has been known for a long time. It’s a nominative spot.
The avenues being considered by Thema’s lawyers factored in the TTOC and a desire to petition the tripartite committee. That’s a separate story and the TTOC ruled on that in Friday.
The legal petition to CAS is the other avenue they discussed. That has not gone anywhere yet, as far as I’m aware. Certainly not anywhere for FIG to make a pronouncement on.
The FIG release stated the facts as already know.
No balls. Not one of them have any to make the right call.
We hoped they would to the right thing! But this was expected.. It’s very sad and sends a bad message to our promising, up-coming athletes
Back to the dickishness
umm what’s the Jamaican gymnast name please?
Toni-Ann Williams hun.
thanks, that’s who I’m supporting
Completely unsurprised. I hope John Geddert feels like the biggest idiot in the world!
This is a man who’s already lead athletes to win Olympic gold medals. Why would he care to feel like an idiot? The idiots in this scenario all have T&T passports.
Nah… The severity of his email keeps escaping people. As well as the fact that it gave the TTGF the opening it wanted…
But whatever I guess.
Ppl will blame only some and not all who are responsible.
What does this man have to gain by screwing over his athlete? Do you not see what a major boon it is to have a coach who has scored gold medals coaching our athlete in a sport we’ve not yet made our mark in? You feel he have time for this shit? The man is off to greener grasses and will never have anything to do with us and our bullshit again.
Really? This is like when your man horn you and you vex with the other woman.
The athlete’s agreement clearly states the coach must be consulted before withdrawal. In fact he must initiate the withdrawal directly to the president.
And people STILL looking at disaster just like the TTGF and willfully ignorant of the disaster of a facility they were using. All federations complaining – but Geddert mustn’t. Look.
Ask him why he didn’t tell TTGF she had an ankle injury prior to the night of the competition.
In any case… I really don’t have time to go back and for with you this. George Bovell once wrote an article about foreign coaches. If I have time to look for it and post it I will.
Hahaha…perfect Nicole Philip Greene
The athlete herself has spoken on this! But clearly you have more at stake and understand better than all of us. Go with God yes.
Nicole Philip Greene… What, love?
Because I wasn’t the first person to say Thema should get a lawyer? And I didn’t try to help her get one?
Idk what we even talking about to be honest.
If ppl think geddert’s email didn’t open the door… Then ok. I think it did.
Nobody is arguing that it was used to take a particular action. Not a soul. But the actions taken based on those words were illegal. John cannot possibly bear fault. That is owned by the TTGF.
We disagree on whether John Geddert has to take blame for writing the email that he did. That’s all.
And my thinking that he has fault to take doesn’t mean that I’m on the side of the TTGF in any way. Or think that it is right that Marisa is the one who is going.
Anybody who has been following this story and these threads since February would know exactly where I stand on the whole issue.
I suggested Thema get a lawyer since the photo nonsense.
I criticized Marisa’s heart belonging to Canada photo since whenever. Other ppl now want to talk about it. Ppl were busy liking Shaka’s piece when I was challenging him on it yet now ppl want to talk about Marisa being Canadian.
Despite all of that however… I still think John Geddert has to accept responsibility for that email and opening the door for the TTGF. If you don’t think he has to then ok.
Not sure how you and I reach to me having to go with God though. Lol. But ok.
That’s like telling me a man has no responsibility to bear for horning even if the other woman was the aggressor…
It’s a weird analogy to draw to this situation to be honest…
I agree with Nicole Philip Greene and you Chabeth Haynes. Nicole isn’t disputing your position at all. I think everyone agrees that Geddert should have been more “aware” of the contents of his letter since he knew of all the untoward and under handed activities and the possibility of misconception in his email to be used against Thema. CYA is pretty much an American thing and not just Trini. No matter that he said though, gave the TTGF any right to proceed without due process, to make such a decision. Even if they flew Dick in just in case, so we had an option if the results of the medical visit proved she was unfit, that would have been understandable. They made a hasty decision and it was something they wanted to do along. The blame falls on them and no one else. They had the powers to do the right thing no matter what was in that email. They had access to Nicole Fuentes. They were rash and wrong by all standards.
Sheree Welch exactly. But no one could reasonably expect the TTGF to act unlawfully. Not at this level. So to say that he should have somehow expected it is to understate exactly how awful and low what the TTGF has done. Has been doing.
Sheree Welch, that’s like telling me the person who drove the vehicle to the scene of the crime has no responsibility to take for the execution of the crime. Yeah, the driver didn’t do anything unlawful by driving, but his/her actions facilitated what followed next.
And John Geddert knew exactly what the TTGF was capable of which is why he waited until the final hour to say what he said.
Maybe because of my experience with sporting associations and the nastiness that sometimes happens I see this differently. Who knows.
But maybe that’s why I also suggested Thema get a lawyer the minute I read about how they were trying to block her. Because I know how nasty things can get.
But I’ve been commenting on this since February. Not much more to say.
I hope Thema pursues civil action against the TTGF and wins although that may not work out as hoped based on the TTOC decision.
Chabeth Haynes and Nicole Philip Greene, we have cultural differences to take into consideration. Our Trini CYA may have well written that email differently yes but no matter what; how damaging the contents of the email (or how risky the vehicle was, drunk the driver was or whatever analogy we use), there is a procedure for replacement (investigating the accident even) and that there, is the problem. I want to believe a Trini would have presumed the TTGF would have acted unlawfully because of the preceding events and build up to this. So yes Chabeth, why fuel the fire but why be unprofessional and forego your integrity because not all of the players are credible? I think he ought to take responsibility for probably not being clear and explained to the non technical persons..therefore, leave no place for ambiguity and perception. But even then, procedure needed to be followed. We have a law unto ourselves here yes. I am happy to see that we are no longer standing up and letting those in power walk all over us. Maybe we just need to come together better in our stance and we will have more power.
..Exactly..
What else did you all expect
..So much for the TTOC president’s gun talk. When you come to shoot , shoot. Don’t talk. LOLOL..
Don’t associate that great movie with these idiots.
For real Keith. Lewis speaks with a fork tongue. Smfh
Lewis does not make up the entire committee.
..Agreed. And he should not have spoken as he did and out of turn..
steups!!!!
A sad day!!
I am so disappointed with the TTOC. They had the opportunity to show the young people of this land that underhandedness, unfairness, biasness will never be rewarded. What a sad day for this country! I hope none of my taxpayer dollars will be going to this travesty. We have to stop the nonsense and build a country on truth and fairness. Mr. Lewis you have failed us miserably and we wll not forget!!