7 News Belize

Some In Cycling Community Say, "Move Out, Moreno!"
posted (February 11, 2013)
For months now - we've been reporting on the dispute in the Cycling Community. There's an power struggle in the Belize Cycling Association, where the old president Emil Moreno wants to be re-elected, but is encountering major resistance. Technically, the issue is whether the Cycling Association is a Federation: Moreno says it is and the international governing body for the sport agrees. But the Sports Council says it is not - and Moreno's former executive agrees. So, technically it's a mess, but really, the it's a personality problem. And that was clear on Saturday when some cyclists protested against their own president. 7news was there as they rode through the city:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
It's not a race, it's not a preview for some major cycling event: Saturday's procession through the city was a protest - to make everyone know they want order restored to the cycling community.

And as the chants suggest - that means the president Emil Moreno has to go. They gathered at the BTL Park - where the man who would be president Dion Leslie was there.

They signed a petition - and if you want to know what the petition was about: the answer is blunt.

Quinton "The Baddest" Hamilton, Cyclist
"The problem right now is Emil Moreno. He needs to leave the Cycling Association immediately."

George Abraham, Father of 2 Young Cyclists
"I am out here today to tell Mr. Moreno it's time to leave! Why don't you just leave and give the other person a break to run the show. You are not doing anything for 4 years, come on move out the way."

Kwame Scott, cycling Official
"The problem we are facing is mainly because of Mr. Emil Moreno and I must say as a human being I have the utmost respect for Mr. Moreno. I even would dare call him my friend but as the president of the Belize Cycling Association and the aspiring president for the next Belize Cycling Association my respect for Mr. Moreno has fallen below zero."

Roy McKenzie, Cyclist
"The president is just all for himself and he doesn't cater for the cyclists any at all. The season is opened from November and the only race we had was on the 1st of January and the only reason why we had that race was because of KREM and KREM had that on their own."

Orson Butler, Veteran Cyclist
"I've been a cyclist for 20 years and I have never seen the sports at this low in my whole cycling career. We need to step forward and ask for an immediate election so we can get the correct people in like us to bring this sport back."

Emil Figueroa, Cayo Uprising Team
"Cycling is for Belize. Belizeans love cycling, so that why I am out here because I want something done to get cycling on its way because we all love cycling and with the leadership right now there is no way cycling is going forward. Cycling has gone backward for the past 4 years."

Reporter
"Are you going to sign the petition today?"

Quinton "The Baddest" Hamilton, Cyclist
"I want a whole page for myself to sign. I was supposed to go to Angelus Press to make a stamp and stamp a whole sheet to let him know that we don't want him."

And the reason they don't is because there is no association to organize races effectively - and Cross Country is 7 weeks away.

Leticia Westby, Former/Aspiring Executive Member
"Valentine Classic was supposed to be next week, we have no idea if that will happen. Let say it's not going to happen the Annual 9th March or Belmopan Classic again coming up and no idea if that will happen. If we can't have the Valentine Classic how can we have that? Then of course what is the most historic event in the country - national event; the Cross Country where at this point in time - last year it was perfect and a perfect example of Mr. Moreno's leadership where at the last minute we were on the radio asking for sponsorship for a big event - a national event. What will we do this year?"

Douglas "Barcelona" Lamb, Cycling Trainer
"It's like cycling is just going down the drain. We don't have any association, so no sponsor doesn't want to give anything towards it because of no association."

Byron Pope, Cyclist
"All the sponsors now they are trying to hold back their money, they don't want to give out any money because they don't know if the association was going to sort out their problem and in preparation for a race you need finance because you need training; you need vitamins, supplements, you need bike parts and all different types of things and if we don't have that then how can we expect tp be ready for a race if we are not preparing well."

Kwame Scott, cycling Official
"Races are non-existent, sponsors of classic are holding back because they don't know what's going on. Sponsors of teams are holding back. They don't care about cycling if you ask me. We are calling on those concerns and those in power to hear our cry. Please find a way to sit with the representatives of the cyclists and hear this out and move forward."

But some are moving on instead:

Kaya Cattouse, Defending Female Cross Country Champion Contemplating Leaving Cycling For Football
"Right now why should I commit to cycling if nothing is happening. I mean it's a sport that I love; it's my number one sport but how can I commit to it and how can I train? We aren't even having any races right now. What am I training for? For 4 years from now just to know that I have been training so that I can ride on race and for us to be spending not only money but family time every day on the bike buying supplements, vitamins, training equipment - it's not feasible for us to be doing that and at the of the day we ride a race and we don't even win half of what we have spent."

Byron Pope, Cyclist
"Being without an association is really hurting the sport because it's a lot of time and dedication out here and we don't even know if we will have a race next week. Sometimes it makes you feel frustrated - you just want throw in the towel."

And so, the plea form these cyclists is simple:

Leticia Westby, Former/Aspiring Executive Member
"All we are asking is that if he wants the best for cycling in Belize have him call an election now and have the membership decide on what they want in regards to their sports. The sport is for the membership. It is not for Mr. Moreno."

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