The National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
By BRENT STUBBS
Senior Sports Reporter
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Olympic Committee president Romell Knowles confirmed that they had to revoke the accreditation of relay coordinator Rupert Gardiner and will send him home because of his insubordination to the team officials at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
“As with all of the athletes, our officials are equally bound to a code of conduct that we guide zealously,” Knowles said. “That is as much as I can say at the moment. But I want to remain focused on what these games mean to our athletes and obviously to our country.”
When contacted in Tokyo, Gardiner confirmed that he was stripped of his accreditation and he should be back home around Wednesday. He declined to make any further statement, only to say that he will be contacting his lawyer before he makes an official statement.
Reports indicate that Gardiner got into a verbal confrontation with other team officials over the entire women’s 200m debacle where four qualified and Anthonique Strachan and Brianne Bethel were forced to compete in a runoff to determine who will get the third spot along with Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Tynia Gaither.
Both team manager Dawn Woodside-Johnson and head coach Rudolph Ferguson resigned immediately from the Bahamas Coaches Association as treasurer and first vice president respectively after they felt they were given some harsh demands to have Gaither and Bethel compete in a runoff.
Team officials, like Gardiner, are tight lipped on exactly what transpired. All queries were passed on to Knowles.
Knowles, who did not make the trip to Tokyo, said the games are meant to be a source of inspiration for the country, given the challenges faced with COVID-19, which has seen lives lost, persons unemployed and others displaced, the country is going through some challenging times and they need some upliftment.
“These are challenging times in our country,” Knowles said. “And these games and sports, I suggest and suppose, are serving as an antidote to this environment that we find ourselves in.”
Knowles said there is a huge story being written in Tokyo where the Bahamas has athletes performing on the world stage and are medal contenders and they will not be “distracted now” because “there’s too much on the line” as they deal with their priority, which is athletes first.
Comments
Sickened 2 years, 8 months ago
Is this the reason why Shaunae just trotted in the final?
JokeyJack 2 years, 8 months ago
Looking for video/report now. Please post the link / source. Good for her !!! Bahamians need to stop accepting whatever is handed them. Why go somewhere or do something if you can't do it freely and completely normally? That applies to every aspect of our lives or else we don't actually have lives.
thephoenix562 2 years, 8 months ago
No! Her legs were tired she just ran the 400m heats 12 hrs. before and she could see she would not place.
JokeyJack 2 years, 8 months ago
Hopefully Gardiner will return safely and his lawyer will allow him to tell his story and hopefully he will not be "suicided" like the 4 Capitol police officers before the truth can come out.
mandela 2 years, 8 months ago
Shameful, to travel around the world just to carry on like an A$$, Shameful.
JokeyJack 2 years, 8 months ago
Yeah, you say that - it seems when Bahamians stand up for their rights and speak out they are a$$. We need just accept that we lower than dogs?
sage 2 years, 8 months ago
Lemme see if I get this right: The President of the Bahamas Olympic Association....did not go to the Olympics???? He is COVID positive eh? He has a family emergency eh? It has to be something substantical that would keep the President...from his most pivotal function ...He is actually higher ranked than any Minister even the Prime Minister at these games....and he did not go?
@coakley4mical 2 years, 8 months ago
Wow @sage! I think you might have tittered your overexaggerating just a little too far with the hierarchy. But I see the point you are making and that should be addressed.
tribanon 2 years, 8 months ago
What a national embarrassment. I suppose they will now all claim their most disgraceful conduct and irrational behaviour is a side-effect of the jabs they received. Morons!
Bahamianbychoice 2 years, 8 months ago
Will the BOC be asked to offer their resignations? This is a national embarrassment.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 8 months ago
"Knowles, who did not make the trip to Tokyo, said the games are meant to be a source of inspiration for the country, given the challenges faced with COVID-19, which has seen lives lost, persons unemployed and others displaced, the country is going through some challenging times and they need some upliftment"
A hint for those who are seeking to lead us, ... people who didnt eat today don't even know Shaunae ran a race. All they want is something to eat. So dont do the socialist/communist Motherland rhetoric. Something went wrong, it was avoidable. Acknowledge it and fix it.
@coakley4mical 2 years, 8 months ago
Is this another case of "Black Crab Syndrome?" What do you think?
tribanon 2 years, 8 months ago
This is typically the first thing out of the mouth of annoying Bahamians who make it their life's mission to hold other Bahamians back. I hope you're not one of them.
@coakley4mical 2 years, 8 months ago
IN RESPONSE TO @tribanon:
I'll give you the benefit of a doubt. But since you wrote "typically", let me consider that you may not be attempting to take a swing, since it is obviously clear and primarily my response here is atypical. I'll let you try and catch that one! . Let me rephrase it, I asked the Tribune 242 community; if this was a case of BCS. I write things and write about things that I know about, or have experienced personally or less so indirectly. I am asking what are their thoughts or what have anyone heard or understood. It is a subject that has been tightlipped. I have sources that drop the info. I don't know either of the two role players in the storyline, or at least I don't think so! .
TO QUICKLY OUTCAST THE NOTION, MY MISSION, DON'T INVOLVE TEARING OR HOLDING ANYONE DOWN OR BACK, PEOPLE WOULD INEVITABLY DO THAT TO THEMSELVES!
- But, I or we may not seat on the Bench, but my/our intent is Objectivity, Truthfulness and Transparency (OTT). So those types of childish games you are referring to, I am beyond that! Our Bahamian people deserve the Truth and a truthful voice that will call a spade a spade but also show how the game is played! - I practice one thing: (1.) I call a spade a spade, and hope that the person may try to do some retrospective and retrograde self analysis and avoid the stigma of being categorized, typified or iconized as: a Hypocrite, or a Liar, or a Fool, or a Queen's Donkey! - Remember; Pride comes before the downfall. When I write it, you can go and carve that in the headstone. - What I will not do is follow anyone blindly! I like to put the logics and reasons, the data and facts on the table and drive from there. I let people hang themselves; I am no executioner. everyone has got their own ∆G, ∆H and ∆S. I should hope that you are not one of those blind mice; nor a puppet! - I challenge you to feel free and put your "hope about/of me" to the test, but be careful, like Mark Twain said; "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
@coakley4mical 2 years, 8 months ago
IS THIS THE CASE OF 1 BAD APPLE THAT CAN SPOIL THE WHOLE BARREL?
@Sickened: I don't think it is the reason why she trotted, I saw the interview asking why and she claimed she felt she pulled something or that something was about to be pulled so she tune down the throttle. . However, if it is the reason why she did really and medical examiners can not find the reason or support the facts with the actions, then I am of the believe that Shaunae Miller-Uibo should be ostracized and castracized from Bahamian athletic participation; not for life; but for 20 years (the equivalent) plain and simple and be permanently expelled from the Bahamas Athletic Association as a player, coach or trainer. . But at the end of the day, it is only her one that would have suffered, she wasn't penalizing anyone except herself and the nation. Now on behalf of the country nation; she should be held accountable to pay back whatever the cost for the trip and everything included. It would be high time that this type of conduct or behavior be addressed, but somehow I should hope that she is not that immature to think along this trajectory. Because; if she did, then the Bahamas Athletic Association, The Bahamas Ministry of Sports & Culture and The Ministry of Tourism, The AG Office, needs to seriously consider understanding and prosecuting her case for such selfish and self conceded actions, She was there representing the Bahamas, and that should have no place in our country at that level. That then would be the example of 1 bad apple can spoil the whole barrel! . Marco Rubio sent a message of how proud Americans are to represent their country, a burning desire so strong that sometimes that is the determining factor between a Gold and 4th place. That's Patriotism. Our national forefathers that brought an independent Bahamas, that's Patriotism. For the Bahamas to be better then we need stronger and bolder in your lives and in our actions as individuals and as a nation!
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