(CMR) A member of the Cayman Islands Cycling Association is calling on board members to resign after the country's top cyclist Nathaniel Forbes was not selected to represent at the 2023 Pan American Cycling Championships.
“As a member of the Cayman Islands Cycling Association, I am calling for all present board members to resign. Whatever selectors the board has surely does not understand how to select cyclists for international duty,” Ken Gokool, who is also a coach, said.
“Omitting the Cayman Islands National Under-23 champion Nathaniel Forbes from the 2023 Pan Am Cycling championships when he has performed and is Cayman's best chance of a medal is unheard of. Nathanial is Cayman's best-performing cyclist, and there is no way for him to be left out,” Mr. Gokool added.
He said the chances of success for the other two cyclists chosen are very slim compared to Forbes, who placed higher than both at the recent Jamaica Cycling Classics. Forbes finished in the top 10, in seventh position, at the Jamaican Cycling Classic, the only Caymanian rider in the top 10. However, he did not compete with the Cayman Islands Cycling Association but with an international AVR racing team. His team finished first at the championships.
Mr. Gokool said he knew Forbes needed more international racing experience, and he reached out to his contacts and got him on a regional Caribbean team based in Miami, Team AVR, a mixture of UCI World Cup cyclists, Pan Am, and Caribbean medalists.
“This is very sad to do this to a young 20-year-old and unjustified,” Mr. Gokool said.
“The cycling board is victimizing this 20-year-old cyclist due to ongoing matters with him and the board. Sports in Cayman cannot continue as is. These sporting bodies think they own the athlete and the sport itself,” Forbes coach added.
Cayman Cycling announced that Victor Magalhaes and Kevin Connolly will represent Cayman at the Pan American championship from April 18 to 23rd.
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