Yesterday, the National Garifuna Council of Belize sent out a strongly worded press release denouncing the Belize Athletic Association for not including Belizean athlete Kaina Martinez in the Roster for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Last week we spoke to Martinez who expressed her dissatisfaction and strongly disputed BAA's claim that she did not submit all relevant information in due time. The National Garifuna is demanding that they rescind their decision and immediately engage Martinez as a candidate to represent Belize at the Olympics. Sandra Miranda, the National President of the Garifuna Council told us more.
Sandra Miranda, National President - Garifuna Council
"After being so good, performing so well at the Central American Games in Salvador, you would expect that Kaina would be selected to represent Belize. I would think that the Athletic Association is encouraging Belizeans to perform at athletic events and forward to the Olympics. So we were appalled at that decision, for this Belizean female and Garifuna athlete. She has made us proud as Belizeans and as Garinagu, so it was very appalling and disappointing. I don't want to say anything about the person selected, because I don't know much about her. But my issue is encouraging our Belizean athlete so that they can have something to look forward to."
Emanuel Pech
"I see in your press release that one of your demands is the decision be rescinded and that Kaina be properly acknowledge as a probable candidate for the re-Olympics, but isn't that too much of an unfair demand since the Olympics are just around the corner?"
Sandra Miranda, National President - Garifuna Council
"Well it's for the association to say that they cannot make that demand, but we will go for the highest. We would go for what is the most logical, that Belizean would expect and if they can't, then my other option would be to send her an apology right and then you'd apologize to the Belizean public."
As it is now, the persons chosen to represent Belize at the Olympics are track and field athletes Brandon Jones and Katy Sealy. Sealy is a English born Belizean, and Kaina Martinez is a home grown Garifuna. So is the Garifuna Council calling the BAA out on the issue of racism? Today we asked Miranda just that.
Sandra Miranda, National President - Garifuna Council
"This has nothing to do about the race. Yes, Kaina is a Garifuna and as a Garifuna athlete we would stand behind her as we would stand behind any Garifuna athlete or individual who we think has been disadvantaged. So, it's not based on race, we are looking at it as she is a Belizean, she is a female and yes she is a Garifuna. So we are not saying she was not selected because she is a Garifuna. For whatever reason the association has why she was not selected I think it is only right to give a logical and a reasonable explanation."
So how is the BAA responding? When we called the president today, he simply told us that he was disappointed that the Garifuna Council did not approach them first before going to the media. Deon Sutherland affirmed that their attorney is looking into it and will be responding to their press release.
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