‘Elite athletes must come home for local games’

Doldron told Newsday athletes like Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, Cleopatra Borrel and Candice Scott should be made to return at regular interval, perhaps two or three times per year to represent the country at major national games.

The athletes receive grants of $250,000 each from government for their personal development and Doldron thinks they should assist in enhancing the development of sports in Trinidad and Tobago.

But while Doldron had expressed a view, he was quick to point out that the athletes should only be made to compete at national games in the country.

He singled out the Sagicor national championship which is scheduled for July as a major games for which the elite athletes should return home to compete in. Doldron dismissed the possibility of the athletes coming back home for the Hampton Games, as he said the games are like a club competition.

Doldron made it clear athletes should not be made to return for club games, as they are international professional athletes who make a living out of the sport. He said further that there is a tendency to utilise athletes for games without them being paid as professionals, adding that it was these occurances which he wants to protect athletes from.

He expresssed the view that in Trinidad and Tobago, local games organisers use athletes without paying them when other international athletes, who were also invited for the same games, are paid lump-sums. Doldron labeled this as an unfair practice in which our own local stars are treated like second and third grade athletes.