Bahamas may be no-show at Miami event
Date: 11-05-2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamBahamas |
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Bahamian bodybuilding could be in the process of getting a black eye internationally.
Bahamian bodybuilders are in a state of confusion and miscommunication be-tween the Bahamas Body-building Federation and the Grand Bahama Bodybuilding Association could result in The Bahamas getting a bad name.
This Saturday the second annual USA versus The Bahamas Bodybuilding show is set to take place in Miami, Florida. The event, which was highly publicized in the Florida media, was expected to feature some of the top named Bahamian bodybuilders, competing against American Bodybuilders.
The event began last year with a successful show at the Hilton Outten Convention Centre and that success led to the event being discussed as an annual event.
Because it featured American and Bahamian bodybuilders, the idea was to alternate venues in The Bahamas and Florida. This year, the event was scheduled to take place in Miami.
However, from all indications, top-notch Bahamian bodybuilders will not be attending the event.
"Not only am I disappointed, but I am saddened by the way this has turned out," said president of the Grand Bahama Bodybuilding Association, Baldwin Darling, who was the master- mind behind the idea of the USA versus The Bahamas competition.
"The decision by the president of the Bahamas Bodybuilding Federation to relay information to the bodybuilders in Nassau that the show was cancelled, was a bad decision and in my mind, a way of sabotaging the entire event."
When contacted by The Freepoort News about the turn of events surrounding the Bahamas' participation in the show, President of the federation, Danny Sumner, said he had no comment and any questions about the show should be directed to Darling here in Grand Bahama.
Darling noted that when he spoke with Sumner three days ago to confirm the names of the athletes who would be attending the event, he was told by Sumner that the athletes would not be ready for the show and had expressed those sentiments to Peter Potter in Florida, National NPC Vice-president and one of the organisers of the event.
Based on e-mails that were sent back and forth between BBF president, Sumner and Potter, Sumner relayed to Potter that during a meeting with the athletes and coaches on May 5, he was informed that the athletes would not be physically ready for the show and that it was confirmed by National coach Nardo Dean.
"I find that hard to believe and comprehend, considering that we had spoken about putting on this show a year ago, and many of the athletes in Nassau and Grand Bahama said they wanted to take part," said Darling.
"This show was promoted heavily in the United States. Money was spent on rooms for the athletes and the judges from The Bahamas and the Bahamian Consulate was contacted by Mr. Potter to be on hand to greet the Bahamian athletes who would take part in the show."
That was confirmed by a stinging e-mail from Potter to Darling. In his letter, Potter expressed his extreme disappointment in the information he received from Sumner and called it "a terrible situation, which is unprofessional and most unethical."
Potter went on to say how the promoters have spent hundreds of dollars on advertising, banners, trophies, hotel rooms, post-contest banquet and other incidentals.
"To learn of this decision three days before the contest is totally wrong," said Potter in his e-mail to Darling.
If The Bahamas is a no-show at tomorrow's show, it will no doubt give Bahamian bodybuilding and its athletes a black eye and a bad name.
The USA versus The Bahamas show is a contest that has been sanctioned by the International Federation for Bodybuilding (IFBB) and provisions were made on the IFBB calendar to host this show on an annual basis.
Now, only the second year of the show, to have The Bahamas seemingly backing out, could leave a bitter taste in the mouths of Potter and the IFBB.
In the long run, it can also affect Bahamian athletes wishing to take part in the Southern States competition, which is also sanctioned by the IFBB and of which Peter Potter has strong ties.
"This could have serious repercussion for Bahamian bodybuilders on the international scene," said Darling.
"What started out as a confirmation and hopes of another successful show, has ended in what can be an embarrassing situation for The Bahamas.
"This is disgraceful and it gives us a bad name. If I had known a month ago or even three weeks ago this was gonna happen, I could have done something to try and get some athletes there, just for us to save face."
Darling said that what may have been thought of as a way of "getting back at him" only makes The Bahamas looks bad, because it goes beyond just him.
Once he learned of the turn of events, Darling moved quickly and began to personally call athletes and coaches in Nassau to find out if any athlete was in shape enough to attend.
While most of the athletes may have cut their diet anticipating a cancellation of the show, Daring said that he spoke with Aaron Green and coach Sears, both of whom were training athletes for the Saturday show and they said they could find some athletes who were ready to go.
However, the problem of funds and getting the athletes to the show is another hurdle that stands in the way. Because the Grand Bahama Association had depleted most of its funds from last year's show, Darling is hoping that a sponsor could come through to get the athletes to Miami by today or first thing Saturday morning.
"If we could get some athletes there, it may help us to save face," added Darling. "But I know that this is gonna make the relationship that I had cultivated with Peter Potter and the Associations in Florida to become very strained.
"For many years, my goal has been to develop the sport of bodybuilding and powerlifting in The Bahamas. But it seems that every time I get somewhere or when the sport gets somewhere, someone does something to undermine me or to sabotage my efforts."
On Thursday afternoon Rob Harris, one of the contestants from Freeport left for Miami and to date may be the only athlete there representing The Bahamas.
Darling is hoping that he could get at least seven or eight more athletes to Miami to compete in Saturday's USA versus The Bahamas Bodybuilding Show.
