Boby building championships under threat

The 34th Central American & the Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness may be under threat, as competition organisers are still some three million Jamaican dollars short of their target.

The championships are slated to get underway on Thursday at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, but concerns are being raised into the quality competition that can be held, as the Jamaica Bodybuilding and Fitness Association struggles to get the necessary funding by tomorrow's deadline.

Yesterday, Frederick Smith, President of the JBBFA, was still optimistic that things would come together, as the association hopes for last minute support from the Ministry of Sports and other corporate entities.

Cancelling the event was not a possibility, but Smith made an urgent plea for persons come to the aid of the association in hosting the regional championships.

Twenty-three countries are expected to compete, including defending champions Barbados.

When the Jamaican association won the bid to host the regional body building championships back in 2002, some concern was raised locally as the hosting of the 1996 competition had nearly bankrupted the association.

The official weighing-in and measurement are scheduled to begin on Thursday, with competition running on Friday and Saturday.
Former England test cricketer, Roland Butcher, says whether the West Indies win the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007, the interest in the sport will rise astronomically.