nigel.simon@guardian.co.tt
T&T senior women netballers will be safely accommodated at the 2019 Netball World Cup to be played in Liverpool, England from July 12-21.
This after Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Shamfa Cudjoe, stated at a Post Cabinet Media Briefing held at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's yesterday, that funding for the senior national netball team as well as the boxers to compete at the Pan American Games qualifiers in Nicaragua were released by the Ministry of Finance to the respective sporting bodies.
Earlier this week, Dr Patricia Butcher, President of the T&T Netball Association (T&TNA) noted that the local federation was on the verge of facing sanctions from the International Netball Federation (INF) after missing two previous payment deadlines for the team's accommodation during their World Cup stay.
Butcher noted that both Barbados and Jamaica, countries which are more difficult financial problems that T&T had already covered their accommodation expenses.
Contacted for a response yesterday, Dr Butcher confirmed that her association was presented with a cheque for $227,823.00 to cover the cost of the team's accommodation in England.
"We have a deadline to meet on Friday (today) and I am happy to say that we will be able to meet the third and final deadline.
However, the TTNA boss said the association was still in the process of securing funding for the purchase of airline tickets for members of the team and technical staff.
She said, "We will be travelling with a team of 12 players and six officials, but the team will be finalised in two weeks time, so we intend to have some discussions with the Sports Company of T&T (Sportt) and have them block 18 airline seats for us.
Asked to give a cost of the airline transportation, Dr Butcher said she could not recall the correct off the top of her head, but did note that its cost is expected to be more than the team's accommodation.
Winners of a second straight Americas Federation Netball Association (AFNA) Championship crown in Barbados late last year to earn a spot at this summer's Netball World Cup at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England, the "Calypso Netballers" will face regional rivals Jamaica, South Africa and Fiji in their Pool C round-robin encounters.
Minister Cudjoe in her brief address noted that both her Ministry and the TTNA had been in dialogue with regards to the needed funding for the national netball team and it was assured that the sporting body would be provided with full funding towards its Netball World Cup campaign.
She further explained that the T&TNA still has to provide her Ministry with some more information in terms of the final team and other minor details before the remaining monies to cover the cost of airline tickets and other expenses can be presented to the association.
During her Post Cabinet briefing Minister Cudjoe also said that the monies were made available to the T&T Boxing Association (T&TBA), for their upcoming engagement, from April 2 to 11 in Central America while the sport basketball, swimming and track and field will be dealt with within the next week.
Cecil Forde, the President of the T&TBA, like Dr Butcher had expressed his frustration over trying to access funding, but his fears were calmed yesterday when $210,000 of the $226,000 requested was guaranteed by the Ministry of Finance to send a national team comprising nine fighters, inclusive of Olympian Nigel Paul and Central American and Caribbean (CAC) and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Michael Alexander, and three official to the qualifiers.
In response, Forde said he was very delighted that the Ministry came through and he was now in the process of trying to finalise travel arrangements for the fighters and officials.
Forde said, "So far everything is in place for us to get to Nicaragua. Its not the total amount we had requested, but we will have to make do with what we got and try and cover the shortfall in other areas as how best possible."
The boxing president pointed out that one increase in cost with the cost of airline tickets as bookings which were made before had to be redone.
Preparation for the Pan Am qualifiers as well as other Olympic qualifying events began soon after the National Championships in November last year, and it was followed up by the team's dominance at the Caribbean Boxing Championship a month later, at which the fighters won 18 medals (10 gold, six silver and two bronze).
Upon the team's return from the regional championships, the boxers were put in a live-in camp in Belmont at the association's expense.
Apart from Paul, the team comprises Michael Alexander, Aaron Prince, Justin Parris, Anthony Joseph, Andrew Fermin, Shakir Flemming, Tyron Thomas and Tianna Guy. Reynold Cox, the former national boxer is the head coach and is assisted by Rolston Dopwell, while Forde, is the manager.
Forde earlier this week stated that it was imperative for the local boxers to be at the qualifiers, as it can earn them individual rankings which will enhance their efforts of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan next year.
Paul is currently ranked second in the region in the heavyweight division while Tianna Guy, the lone female boxer, is ranked 27th in the bantamweight division. The team is set to wing out on April 1.