The Tribune

NEWLY elected Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Drumeco Archer admitted that they are in a financial bind and is looking for the support of corporate Bahamas to help them fund their various international meets this year.

Archer revealed that when his administration came into office on November 24, 2018, there was less than $15,000 left in the BAAA bank account.

With the BAAA owing the IAAF $7,000, BACO $3,000 and Tek Team $4,736, plus monthly administrative expenses, their balance sheet showed that the BAAA was left in the red.

In January, Archer said they immediately were faced with having to raise funds while operating track and field meets, paying the NSA an average of $3,000 for stadium usage, BACO, Tek Team, food and drinks, and associated fees which average $12,000 per meet.

Meanwhile, we are still left with the mandate to facilitate athletes’ travel and preparedness.

Irrespective of our results, the BAAA spent more than $70,000 alone on the World Relays, with nothing else left to finance other team travel.

However, in fairness to the outgoing administration (as well as successive administrations), this is not an atypical occurrence as track and field with over 1,000 athletes and an average of seven major competitions in one year has always struggled with raising money to finance team travel and facilitate training and development.

“You, the members, along with the entire nation, demand that we give our best, while there is no regard for the full-time job that goes into running this federation,” he said. “The work is unrelenting and the work is left in the hands of so very few, in spite of our plea for assistance from our members, the Government of The Bahamas as well as corporate Bahamas.

“With no salaries accounted for with the exception of our office manager, the BAAA budget conservatively is $850,000. The fact of the matter is that this is an unsustainable model and without your assistance, we might as well advise our athletes to unpack their bags if we can’t get more assistance from the country. This is a voluntary job that has corporate-level financial demands and skillsets.”

Archer further revealed that the BAAA is now in the gun lap of attempting to raise funds to underwrite the cost of a number of competitions and initiatives this year. He said they are asking all of you to assist in appealing to their employers and friends to make a donation to the BAAA on a 15 per cent commission basis.

“I am advised that there are persons out there sitting and hoping that we fail, and wishing that we are starved by not having access to financial support,” he said.

“In the end, the success of our work directly benefits the country through a growing sporting dynasty while providing scholarship opportunities to an average of 100 athletes a year, an average of $4 million dollars a year. I, therefore, ask that you do your best in assisting the federation by directing companies to us for sponsorship opportunities. Do it for Team Bahamas.”