Seven News spoke with the Executive Director of the National Sports Council and he says - while the conditions are deplorable as it relates to the team's accommodations he doesn't believe that justifies a pullout from the tournament.
Emaun Hyde
"Can you tell me why didn't a member of the federation accompanied the basketball team?"
Anthony Michaels, National Sports Council
"I am not sure, I knew that Mr. Paul Thompson usually accompany as the president of the basketball federation. He usually accompany all the basketball teams, he did that in Cancun with our senior national team, he did it in the Dominica Republic and I knew he should have been there with the junior national team. What I have heard is that an emergency came up with him and he had to leave the country and I tried to get in touch with the general secretary Mr. Julian Murillo which I did this afternoon and he indicated that Mr. Paul Thompson should be arriving in Guatemala tomorrow."
Emaun Hyde
"This morning on KREM's WUB, Mr. Smiling call in and said that the conditions that the team were in was terrible, he said they even considering pulling out of the tournament. Can you give me a comment on that?"
Anthony Michaels
"I heard that this morning, this is not the responsibility of the national sports council. Its FIBA and the federation, but as a national sports council and these athletes are ambassadors in sports representing our country, I end up calling Mr. Andrew Smiling in Guatemala this afternoon and he indicated to me that there are 5 teams sharing a dormitory. The condition there that he indicated is not the best."
The tournament is expected to run through the week.
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