The Elite Athlete Assistance Programme needs to be revisited because the terms of funding appear to have been ignored with athletes now communicating directly with officials at the Ministry of Sports, instead of via their sporting associations and the Olympic Committee.
This is a recipe for disaster and a sad indictment on those who made such a decision. The result has been a number of questionable funding decisions with people with little experience receiving funding, sometimes outside of the set guidelines and qualification requirements.
In other cases, anyone who should have been entitled to funding have found themselves under tremendous pressure, as they have to find ways to earn a living, so some of our athletes are forced to work a regular job, then train in the afternoon. This is totally unfair and wrong.
Several sporting sons and daughters spoke from their heart on Isports on i95.5fm on Saturday about the problems they have encountered.
It was heart wrenching to listen to a multiple cycling champion talk on his troubles with funding. Imagine being threatened with the withholding of funds if certain family members are not selected on a national team. This is both disgusting and disturbing and suggests just how poor our sporting associations are in this country.
One cyclist, who has connections in the Ministry of Sports, is alleged to have received three times more funding in the last three years that a cyclist who has won medals at the Commonwealth Games, although he can hardly make the team currently.
Boxing is also up in arms, with several young boxers not receiving funding. Michael Alexander won a Commonwealth bronze medal, but has received no funding or even an idea of when funding is due.
But he is not alone, Ayanna Alexander, who won bronze at the Commonwealth Games, has been trying to contact the Ministry of Sports but is still to receive a response.
One of the most disturbing incidents involves Mikel Thomas and the loss of his apartment, as he waited on funding.
Emmanuel Callender battled many who felt he was not entitled to funding, although producing medals. "I have been constantly going to the Ministry, every week, calling and asking for my funding. We have to begin to respect our athletes."
Jarrin Solomon, another young man who runs his heart and soul out for T&T, said he has been asked to switch clubs and go where it would be possible to obtain funding much quicker, but he refused.
Solomon suggested that there should be a standard date and time for the payment of the funding, something which seems to make a lot of sense.
Even netball is suffering with the national players not receiving their per diems within the last ten years. Anika La Roche-Brice noted the love which the young ladies have for their sport and country. She is saddened by the lack of care from those sporting bodies responsible for funding team sports.
It would appear that while funding is for individuals, nothing has been arranged for team sports and support to these organisations. So netball not only faces the difficulty of a lack of venue to train since the Jean Pierre Complex is auctioned out to the highest bidder for any use, but netball, the only team sport to have a won a World Championships, is now a second class citizens.
What is the incentive for anyone in this sport?
The reality is the Ministry of Sports needs to ensure that there is transparency in the Elite programme and not allow it to be tainted by the belief of nepotism and bribery.
It is time for those who are affected to take a stand, be decisive and speak out against the evil that exists under the guise of assistance in sports in this country. The sooner sports minister Dr Rupert Griffith, gets involved, the better.
Of course, that is providing the Sports Minister cares!