“We don’t support sport. We support events.”
Brian Lewis’ comment in the context of the overwhelming turnout and the peculiar behaviour of many fans for Tuesday’s do-or-die women’s World Cup qualifier was prompted by my lamentation over the preoccupation with fete, fete, fete before, during and immediately after the 1-0 loss to Ecuador that ended the dream of the national team.
It was during a commercial break of an interview with the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic on Friday’s “Sporting Edition” on TV6 that the point was being developed.
There’s very little about the Trini way of doing things that should shock or bewilder anymore. Still, this slavish obsession with inane, repetitive, re-heated trash to the extent that the football almost appeared to be getting in the way of the ragga-ragga, yabba-dabba doltishness leaves you to wonder.
Barely had the shrill blast of the referee’s final whistle died down than the whole cacophonous nonsense was pumped up to the max by the house DJ. Surely, though, this was the moment, notwithstanding the crushing disappointment of defeat when so, so close to a first-ever appearance at a senior Women’s World Cup finals, to appreciate the efforts of both teams then going through vastly different emotional experiences out on the field.
Most of the Trini girls were inconsolable, not least goalkeeper Kimika Forbes. So outstanding between the uprights in helping her side reach this far, she will, like Michael Maurice 25 years and 13 days earlier, re-live that moment in second half stoppage time when indecision coming off her line created an opportunity for Monica Quinteros to get the touch that proved enough for the South Americans to steal the victory and claim the 24th and final spot at next year’s tournament in Canada.
Maylee Attin-Johnson, outstanding throughout the game with her energy in battling for the ball in midfield and urging on her teammates, fulfilled her leadership responsibilities in shaking hands with all three officials on the field before returning to the company of her fellow players.
In stark contrast, the Ecuadoreans could barely restrain their jubilation. There were no more than 20 or so supporters of the visitors among the 22,000-plus at the Hasely Crawford Stadium but almost all of them enjoyed the moment to the fullest. Smiles, tears of joy and fulsome embraces among players, support staff and those few fans put the cap on a memorable night for the women’s game of that country.
Had the efforts of both teams been really appreciated, they would have been warmly applauded at the end of it all and maybe, just maybe, the Trinidad and Tobago players would have found an audience receptive enough to allow them a chance to walk around the athletic track and acknowledge the presence of the fans, especially as none of them had ever before experienced such an atmosphere in senior national colours.
Even if Ecuador had completely ruined the occasion for the hosts by virtue of that solitary goal, they deserved to be acknowledged as worthy competitors, hanging on tenaciously before making Trinidad and Tobago pay the ultimate price for failing to convert the handful of clear-cut chances that came the home side’s way.
I was thinking of using the phrase about Ecuador “spoiling the party” by their victory. However that clearly was not the case as the dancehall extravaganza was on in full swing, complete with hands in the air, legs in the air and posteriors rotating even as the Trinidad and Tobago players eventually trudged off back into the dressing room, their drooped shoulders and forlorn expressions completely at odds with the fete that was not only in full swing, but continued out along Wrightson Road and across to the limers’ ground zero: Ariapita Avenue.
Defeat in a sporting event is not a disaster, nor should it trigger a violent reaction. Surely though it should matter...at least a little bit. Shouldn’t it?
Lewis’ contention that we are not a society that really supports sport but merely celebrates the moments as isolated events was in response to my assertion that we may want to win very badly, but losing isn’t something that hurts so much that we vow to do whatever it takes to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
At the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, where Trinidad and Tobago made an historic first appearance, a hard-fought goalless draw in the opening game with Sweden was followed by another battling performance against England where the favourites were frustrated for 82 minutes before Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard eased English discomfort for a 2-0 win.
It was a result that had Trinis chipping down the Western Main Road in St James in celebration of the defeat.
If losing doesn’t really matter, from where does the never-say-die will to win come?

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The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association yesterday extended condolences to the family of former national football teams manager George Joseph who passed way in New York, USA at the age of 69 on Friday.

The goal of two or more team sports qualifying for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games requires two fundamental elements (1) national sport organizations must share the TTOC's vision of Olympic qualification- qualifying for the Olympics must be as important to the national sport organization as it is for the TTOC (2) National sport organizations must have a  High Performance plan that is based on best practices .

In reviewing the performances of the national team sports at the recent Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Games held in Vera Cruz, Mexico 14-30 November.

Only two team sports out of 9 won medals.

Men's Hockey returned home with the  silver medal and men's rugby 7s  bronze medal.

Rio Olympic Games qualification in most team sports would be determined in 2015.

The TTOC made it clear that team sports who medalled at the CAC Games would be shortlisted  for resource assistance in 2015 with the stated objective of qualifying for Rio 2016 Olympics.

The TTOC General Council will meet at 5pm  Monday 8th December at Olympic House.

Main item on the agenda is the CAC Games Vera Cruz 2014  report.

The Guyana national rugby team that created history by winning both the NACRA

15’s and 7’s titles in one calendar year returned home yesterday to a rather low-key welcome that had only Union officials in attendance.
The national ruggers commonly referred to as the ‘Green Machine’ was greeted by the media, but noticeably absent were members of the Sport Ministry and National Sports Commission whose absence stirred responses of disappointment by the history making champions.
Guyana has now won the NACRA Sevens Championship for the seventh time and the win gives the team automatic qualification to the 2015 Pan Am Games scheduled to be staged in Toronto, Canada, while a return to the IRB Hong Kong Sevens was also gained by the capture of the NACRA title.
The Guyanese came from behind to beat host Mexico 33-28 in the final with former sprinter Patrick King, who was playing in his first tournament at this level scoring four tries in a dream debut to ignite a dramatic fightback after trailing 7-21 at the half.
Speaking with the media at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the NACRA debutant said it was a great experience for him, but reminded that it would not have been possible without the support of his teammates.
“It was a great feeling I was not nervous until the final, but when I saw Mexico take a 21-0 lead I was just praying to get on the field because Kevin (McKenzie) told me to believe in myself and I went out there and brought it home for my team,” King told the media.

Captain Ryan Gonsalves told the media that Mexico brought the game to them and even though they knew that the encounter would not be an easy one they never gave up, adding that many other teams would have thrown in the towel, but praised his players for showing the fight and tenacity to rebound and take the title for the seventh time.
Gonsalves, who is also the Captain of the 15’s team, pointed to the deepness of the bench as one of the primary reasons for the team’s ability to erase even the most significant lead.
He said the year is indeed a historic one for the sport in Guyana, informing that it has never occurred before where this country held both titles at the same time.
Gonsalves when asked about the possibility of the team becoming the first one from these shores to represent this nation in a team sport said that Rio 2016 is a great possibility.
Head Coach/player Theodore Henry in his remarks reminded the media that the victory marks the second time that Guyana’s rugby was able to qualify for the Pan Am Games, while it also allows them to get back on the international scene.
“Missing last year was kind of a new experience for us, but the guys were determined to win. This year was really special for us we came from behind on both occasions (NACRA 7’s and 15’s) and won and it just shows how tough we are mentally and physically so I think that we need the support from all Guyanese as we prepare for much bigger competitions,” Henry stated.
Henry felt that Guyana could not have won without the kind of performance that King produced and credited him for his confidence and natural ability that helped them to get over the line.
He, however, expressed disappointment about the absence of officials from the Government and other agencies related to sport, asking what more must the team do to generate the respect that is afforded many other disciplines whose achievements pale in comparison with theirs.
The team was promised unmitigated support by the Minister of Finance Ashni Singh shortly after presenting the Union with a cheque on behalf of the Government shortly before they departed for Mexico.

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Missing from the euphoria surrounding the Women Warriors was any notion of how this team of women footballers, fierce, united and impassioned, had found their way to the edge of World Cup possibility. It was as if this team had come out of thin air, ready-made for action and success until Monica Quinteros’ fateful goal dashed our collective hopes. Lost in the hype was the story of what it had taken for T&T to have a national women’s football team that could fill us with pride and fill a whole stadium on a Tuesday evening.
In the sensation were buried three important names in women’s football: coaches Jamal Shabazz and Marlon Charles and sport educator/administrator, Dr Iva Gloudon
While national women’s football has its genesis in the late 1980s, the pivotal moment came in 2000 when the national team hit rock bottom in the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup, going down ten-nil against the US having not fared much better against other competition. Back home, disintegration seemed the most likely outcome for a team that had sparked no interest from the home crowd. Indeed, for many, the idea of women playing football was still jokey and even offensive.
After ten-nil, where does one go?
Inside his bunker of depression, coach Shabazz found the support and encouragement he needed from Dr Gloudon, an outstanding national hockey player and then director of Sport & Physical Education at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine. These days Dr Gloudon is the T&T High Commissioner to Jamaica with accreditation to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Convinced by Dr Gloudon, the two developed a strategic plan and began the long, hard process of building a new team, starting from scratch, knowing that the Gold Cup team had reached its end.
For months, Shabazz scoured high schools looking for talent, pitching the joys and rewards of football and promoting the opportunities that could come a girl’s way through the beautiful game.
On the day of screening, over 100 teenagers turned up, coming from schools all over the country, bidding for selection. In the end, about 40 were chosen for the programme, most of them, like today’s captain Maylee Attin-Johnson, around the ages of 14 and 15.
For a year and a half, they were drilled, training four days a week, with no competition in sight, no money in their pockets but motivated by love of game and a coach who kept their eyes on the dream, while fighting teenage impulses to rebel or quit.
By 2003, the investment was beginning to turn the tide. Although they again lost against the US, the Under-20 women’s team turned in an encouraging performance in a 3-1 defeat.
Existing on the sidelines of the public imagination, the young women honed their game and kept their eyes on the dream beyond the reality of their lives which, in many cases, was one of poverty and limited choices. The compelling stories of many of these girls were told in the “Woman on the Ball” segment of the 2008 TV series Total Football produced by Shabazz and myself.
For years, ‘the dream’ was what Shabazz dangled to keep youths in football, both on the women’s team and in Caledonia, Morvant where he offered football as an escape from crime and the daily nightmare of sudden death.
In the absence of structure, Shabazz was a football hustler, using every contact available to him to open scholarship doors in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.  
Now with a new women’s team in development, he and Dr Gloudon devised a strategic plan for the girls’ further education on a mass scale. By the time they graduated from high school, about 30 of them had offers for football scholarships to colleges and universities in the US.
Fourteen years later, almost all the teenagers who were selected for the development programme are university graduates in a wide range of fields, including accounting, psychology, sport and business administration. Several have found loves and lives outside of T&T where, as part of our football/education diaspora, they are the ones now opening the doors of football opportunity for another generation of young women. The question now is what development plan will succeed the one that had brought these women to this point of personal, professional and football achievement?
Captain Maylee Attin-Johnson, a woman whose rise is as remarkable as the story of her life, was right to let us know that these educated women of football need jobs. Indeed, they need more than jobs. They need a new strategic plan for converting the currency of their academic education, football training, life experiences, national commitment and passion into national and personal capital. It takes more than a match to make football careers, but it will take football careers to carry us to a World Cup match.
Coach Shabazz is probably heartbroken over his girls’ defeat.
After 11 years working with this group, and another five invested in his 16 years in women’s football, he would know more than anyone how easy it is for the team to slip from our fickle hearts when the lights go down.
But heartbreak would be nothing new for this football soldier whose life has had its fill of lost souls and lost causes, the most damning of which was surely his involvement in the 1990 attempted coup in his misguided attempt at change. Having publicly apologised to the nation, Shabazz has sought and found his redemption in football.
To him, Dr Gloudon and Marlon Charles who plotted the path that gave coach Randy Waldrum and his team the possibilities of last Tuesday, this column offers a warm thank you.

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There is a "determination" within the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to deal with the allegations of systematic doping among Russian athletes, it was claimed here today.

But "due process" must be followed, critics calling for action be taken against Russia were warned.

A German television documentary broadcast on Wednesday (December 3) made a number of allegations that Russian officials systematically accepted payment from athletes to supply banned substances and cover up tests.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has responded by promising to investigate the claims, along with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), who had already referred a number of the allegations to its independent Ethics Commission.

Sir Craig Reedie, the chairman of WADA and a member of the IOC's ruling Executive Board, updated his colleagues today on the situation.

"It won't surprise you to know the allegations were, of course, discussed by the Executive Board," Mark Adams, the IOC communications director, said.

"There was a determination to deal with them and deal with them quickly.

"Sir Craig Reedie made a short presentation to the Executive Board.

"He has been in touch with the IAAF Ethics Commission and has given them the information they need, and we will keep in touch as well.

"If the allegations are proved, we will deal with them, but we have to deal with them in the proper way.

"There has to be due process.

"So let's wait and see what the Commission of the IAAF thinks of them before we take the next step."

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has dismissed the allegations made in the 60 minute programme broadcast by ARD as being aimed at humiliating Russian sport.

"Based on some individual case, they want to show some kind of system and the state's interest in it, to belittle Russian sport," Mutko told R-Sport news agency.

"Of course I don't like this, because we have taken a journey in the opposite direction."

Russia's anti-doping agency RUSADA managing director Nikita Kamaev, who originally dismissed the claims as "nothing more than wanton speculation", has now promised they will launch their own inquiry.

"RUSADA is starting its own investigation in relation to those involved in the film and the information presented by them," they said in a statement published today.

They promised the outcome of the investigation will be published on their website.

In the programme, ARD appeared to show reigning Olympic 800 metres champion Maria Savinova admitting to using the banned steroid oxandrolone.

They also produced evidence that alleged to show three-time Chicago Marathon and one-time London Marathon winner Liliya Shobukhova paid €450,000 (£350,000/$550,000) to avoid a doping ban.

Shobukhova was eventually banned for doping and she claimed some of the money was refunded.

Sebastian Coe, meanwhile, who last month officially announced he is to stand for the Presidency of the IAAF has issued his own statement on the allegations.

"There are clearly very serious allegations and I understand that they are now rightly subject to investigation by the IAAF, WADA and the IAAF Ethics Commission," he said.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further until those investigations have been completed."

Among those implicated in the programme was Valentin Balakhnichev, President of the Russian Athletics Federation and treasurer of the IAAF.

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