(CMR) Former Bahamian athlete and coach Pauline Davis-Thompson has described the treatment of Lacee Barnes-Riley and her husband by the Cayman Athletics Association at the recently concluded CARIFTA Games as disgraceful.
Davis-Thompson, who spoke with Sandra Hill on The Cold Hard Truth, Thursday, 13 April, said the Bahamas made provisions for any coach who wished to attend the CARIFTA games.
“They just need to get an official to verify that they are actual coaches,” she explained, adding that several coaches from the United States were present to support their athletes.
“Lacee did nothing wrong. The Cayman Islands Federation, they are dead wrong. They owe that young lady a written apology and a public apology. They owe the Caymanian people an apology. You bring shame and disgrace to your country,” she stated.
“They have wronged that young lady; they have humiliated her in someone's else country,” she continued.
Davis-Thompson said the Association's behavior towards Barnes-Riley was as if there was a personal vendetta.
Several members of the public are also of this view and believe an apology is not enough, but are calling on the executive of the Athletics Association to resign.
“I would like to call on the Government to ask Cydonie Mothersill to step down from her position or withdraw the funding from the organization until she does. I think she should step down today,” a caller on the Cold Hard Truth said.
The Athletics Association said it issued an apology to Barnes-Riley but said it had to take action at the CARIFTA Games. However, Barnes-Riley said she had not received the apology.
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