Triathlon head not backing down

President of the Antigua and Barbuda Triathlon Association (ABTA) Dr. Philmore Benjamin said he will not back down and will contest the National Olympic Committee (NOC) presidency race announced for December 20.
His statement follows Monday’s announcement by Minister of Sports, EP Chet Greene, that he will be seeking a fourth term in office which is contrary to initial pronouncements that he would not seek re-election.
“The fact that the minister says he is going to run doesn’t really prevent me from running because according to him, he has the right to run and that persons are telling him to run. I don’t know if that’s the fact but he had made a solemn promise that he is not going to run and that he is going to stay away from the thing and we understood that to be the agreement that was made with the international body in Rio,” he said.
“When we discussed at the stadium [Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground] when Keith Joseph [President of the St. Vincent & the Grenadines NOC) came here and Alphonso Bridgewater [St. Kitts and Nevis NOC], the agreement was that he would not run again so we weren’t really looking forward to that,” he added. 
Asked what he thinks of the minister’s chances of winning a fourth term in office, Benjamin said nothing is impossible in politics and elections but maintains his belief that it’s time for a change in approach where the NOC is concerned.
“You know with politics, sports and elections you don’t really know what will happen but we would like to see a change because I think if we change, the associations would be in a better position and the country will be in a better position but I am still confident, yes,” the NOC vice president said. 
Greene said on Monday, that several of associations have asked him to seek another term in office, leaving him with no choice but to reverse his earlier position.
The move has drawn both support and criticism from the public and although there is no law or rule that bars the minister from holding both positions, many view his dual role as a possible conflict of interest.    
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association (ABBA) Daryll Matthew and the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Athletics Association (ABAA), Everton Corn-elius, have also expressed intentions of running for the top spot.