Robert Farrier, president of the T&T Cycling Federation has lashed out at national cyclists Kwesi Browne and Olympian Njisane Phillip for accusations made that he and members of his federation have not been supportive of local riders.
Farrier told Guardian Sports a tedious process prevented the quick financial support of the T&T Sprint Team on its way to the UCI cycling World Cup in Berlin Germany, the first of five in the coming months. Otherwise, the sprint team of Phillip, Browne, Nicholas Paul, Keron Bramble and other cyclists who represent the country in the sprint events, have received 98 percent of a $1 million grant given to the TTCF by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Sport Company of T&T between last year to date. "All other cycling events have had to settle for part or none of the other two per cent of the monies received," Farrier explained. That event starts next Friday.
Due to the cyclists' lack of information concerning the process for receiving funding, Farrier and his executives will meet with them upon their return from the cycling world cups, in a bid to crystallize the challenges the TTCF faces to get funding from the government, noting the delay in this case, stemmed from the time the Ministry Finance took to approve and distribute the funds to the sports ministry.
Farrier said he received a call yesterday from the ministry of sports, inviting him to a cheque presentation of monies for the cyclists to go to the world cups. This presentation is scheduled to take place next week.
Farrier who also sits on the UCI Small Countries and Solidarity Commission, said the process to receive funding for the entire Olympic qualification, which includes the world cups, began on May 21 with a document outlining the Olympic qualifying process and the budget.
It was followed by the submission of a detailed budget that was specific to the world cups on October 2, for which the federation and its national coach Canadian, Erin Hartwell, were called to a meeting on November 9.
In a release yesterday Farrier said, "While I don’t believe in airing our dirty linens in public which can tarnish the TTCF brand that this current Executive has worked so hard to develop, the lines of communication are very clear with the athletes through the national coach, whom they report to daily and who has access to the TTCF Executive."
"Added to that each athlete was given my personal cell number where they can contact me directly, which they have done in the past. For this project, TTCF has included four staff members – manager/coach, mechanic, strength & condition coach and massage therapist. This equals a ratio of 'one to one' athlete to staff and the TTOC, which recognized the importance of the Olympic Qualifiers, came on broad to assist by footing the entire cost for the massage therapist."
Farrier believes it was unfair to say local cycling is in turmoil since in spite of the challenges faced by NGBs in the present economic climate, cycling has been well represented at international events.