The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Olympic Committee has gotten the approval for seven Bahamian athletes to receive a monthly stipend of $1,000 each from the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship heading into the 2024 Olympic Games.

BOC president Romell Knowles made the announcement yesterday as they also revealed the teams that will represent the country at the inaugural Caribbean Games, scheduled for June 29-July 3 in Guadeloupe and the Commonwealth Games, set for July 29-August 7 in Birmingham, England.

Ratified and approved from the list of entries submitted for the scholarships to help in their development going into the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France are the following athletes: Devante Carey from swimming; Devynne Charlton, Samson Colebrooke, Wendell Miller and Kendrick Thompson from athletics (track and field), Rashji Mackey from wrestling and Justin Roberts from tennis.

Knowles said the athletes were selected based on the recommendations from the various national federations and a committee within the BOC selected the talents based on their talent or who has the highest level of potential to qualify in their particular sport.

“That information is then sent on to the Olympic Solidarity, who then send it on to international federations from the various sport,” Knowles said. “The International Federation has to approve that athlete. If they approve it, the Olympic Solidarity would accept it.”

The athletes will be getting the same amount as athletes from around the world.

But at any point, Knowles said the fund could be stopped if any athlete is in violation of doping or if they are not consistent in their training process.

“Ther BOC can stop it at any time. There are monthly policy reports and the IOC can question it or they can stop it,” Knowles said. “The whole idea is to help those athletes with the greatest financial need or the highest potential to qualify for the (Olympic) games.”

While there are some athletes whom many feel should be considered for selection, Knowles said they tried to select the best possible athletes from the Bahamas to participate in the two-year programme.

The programme, according to Knowles, will officially begin as the athletes receive their first pay cheque of $1,000 for the first month.