CARIFTA 2021 could be postponed

CARIFTA 2021 is on…. for now.

According to North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) President Mike Sands, a Bahamian, cancellation of the premier junior athletics meet in this region is not an option at this juncture, but it can be postponed.

The 2021 CARIFTA Games is one of those regional meets that is set for the early part of 2021, and at this point, it’s obvious that COVID-19 will still be a nuisance in portions of 2021, if not for the entire year. The World Athletics (WA) World Indoor Championships, initially scheduled for March 13-15, 2020, in Nanjing, China, were pushed to March 2021, and now they are being postponed again, set for March 17-19, 2023, still in Nanjing. The biennial meet will now be held for three successive years, in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Whereas they are not guided by what is done on a global scale as it relates to the staging of meets, Sands said that it is a possibility that the 2021 CARIFTA Games will be postponed, but added that it’s a decision that is up to the membership of NACAC of which The Bahamas is a member.

“At this time, we are still moving full steam ahead but there are several challenges that we are faced with,” said Sands. “First of all, we have to look at the established protocols regarding COVID-19 in the host country. Secondly, we have to respect the protocols in the countries of the established member federations and how it pertains to travel in and out of those countries. At our last meeting, we took a position to conduct a survey among the membership to determine the viability of the date in question and whether or not that date is doable. COVID-19 is still out there and there would have been a spike in certain parts of the region. We’re looking at several options, but I can tell you that cancellation is not an option at this time. It’s just a matter of staying with the current date or switching to a later date.”

CARIFTA 2021 is tentatively set for the Easter holiday weekend, April 3-5, at the Bermuda National Sports Centre in Hamilton, Bermuda – about three and a half months away. Bermuda is one of the few countries in the region still experiencing new cases of COVID-19 on a daily basis. There are 200 active cases, which is a relatively large number for a tiny nation of just over 60,000 people.

As they approach 2021, Sands said they are guided by the relevant authorities in the respective countries, by protocols of health officials and by their member federations.

“We could be as cautiously optimistic as much as we want, but the reality is that we are facing a second wave,” said Sands. “By the first week in January, we expect to come to a decision as it relates to the date of the CARIFTA Games, but for now, all I could tell you is that cancellation is not an option at this time. Our stance is to be more inclusive. There is constant communication with the Bermuda LOC (local organizing committee) and the member federations. That is a major part of this exercise. At the end of the day we are going to determine the best fit for the games. That is the major junior event for our area and we certainly would want to see it come to fruition.”

For CARIFTA to take place over a holiday weekend is not something that is written in stone, but Sands said there are factors that they would have to take into consideration should the meet be postponed.

“Easter is a common holiday period in our area and it is one that has always been conducive for the CARIFTA Games,” said Sands. “I believe that Bermuda is the only country in this region that doesn’t recognize Easter Monday as a holiday. We don’t want to disrupt the school year and the period when students are taking exams. That is a major concern for us. Also, when you look at countries like The Bahamas, the team would have to come into the capital together for a week before it’s time to travel. That in itself could be a disruption to the school year so we would have to look for a period of time when it would be most convenient to host the games. It’s a challenge.”

For the most part, countries in the region are experiencing a reduction in COVID-19 cases but there are major countries like the United States where the numbers are on the rise. A number of eligible athletes for CARIFTA are in high schools and colleges/universities in the United States which presents a concern for organizers as well.

If CARIFTA 2021 remains on schedule for early April, it’s almost a certainty that all incoming guests would have to take a COVID-19 RT-PCR test and receive a negative result.

As for the athletes, Sands is encouraging them to remain motivated and encouraged. He is of the belief that coaches will make adjustments and ensure that their athletes are fully prepared for the 2021 season, inclusive of an Easter hosting of the CARIFTA Games. CARIFTA was canceled for the first time in its 49-year history in 2020.

The CARIFTA Games is arguably the biggest and most popular annual junior athletics championships in the region.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/carifta-2021-could-be-postponed/