The Antigua and Barbuda Olympic Association (ABOA), could face a legal challenge following the completion of its elective general assembly on Monday night during which, E.P. Chet Greene was re-elected president for a fourth consecutive term.
Newly-elected vice president, Neil Cochrane, while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports show, highlighted what he believes are “irregularities” in the process, pointing to a decision allowing what they call ineligible associations to vote.
“Well the whole matter of Article 41 was not addressed at all and I think that is a travesty and I would have preferred the process to have been taken to a point where the entire body would have made that decision and not the decision being made unilaterally by the general secretary [Cliff Williams] or the president [E.P. Chet Greene] in relation to that matter,” he said.
“There were lots of irregularities that did not lend itself for that situation [challenging of the decision by the general secretary] to transpire and that’s all I can say. It being the continuation of a meeting that things should have remained stable and we saw the twists and the turns, however, at the end of the day I believe, based on where I sit and information I have, there will be a legal challenge to that matter,” Cochrane added.
However, Greene sought to debunk Cochrane’s claim, reminding that the world’s governing body, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), had previously mapped the way forward where it pertains to the completion of the general assembly.
“The matter was settled in the IOC roadmap for the completion of the meeting. It was not a Chet Greene decision as to how it is settled, and it is not just a simple recommendation from a lawyer that I just picked up on Newgate Street to settle the matter, it came from the global, the world authority, the Olympic committee,” the president said.
“Even the Olympic committee, International, did not just throw it upon us, they gave it to us by way of a recommendation and members at last night’s [Monday] meeting can recall that among the first things we did last night [Monday] was to approve the proposed roadmap from the IOC,” he added.
Greene, who was elected 22-15 ahead of lone challenger, Dr. Philmore Benjamin, confirmed receipt of a letter warning of a legal challenge and urged Cochrane to “get with the programme” and work to improve the body for which he was elected to serve.
“Mr. Cliff Williams called this morning [Tuesday] to advise he received a letter from Justin Simon’s chamber representing Neil Cochrane and Wilbur Harrigan so we are already off to a bad start. I heard his many intimations this morning suggesting there were things untoward in the meeting and that things were less than democratic. It is clear that Neil Cochrane does not understand his remit as vice president and unless he really chides himself and reins himself in to become a responsible person, I am sad to say that I think he is in the wrong position,” he said.
The full slate of elected members are, E.P. Chet Greene (President), Neil Cochrane (1st Vice President), Phillip Isaacs (2nd Vice President), Thomas Greenaway (3rd Vice President), Yolanda Samuel (Treasurer) and Members Daryll Matthew, Jo-ann Small, Karen Joseph, Fitzroy Quinland, Charles Bellot, Leonard Mussington and Franklyn Braithwaite.
Greene Re-elected Amidst Threats Of Legal Challenge
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