Warri Head: We Are Not A Member Of International Body

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President of the Antigua and Barbuda Warri Association (ABWA), Joel Carr, has confirmed that the organisation is not yet affiliated to its international body, the International Oware Players Association (IOPA).
Carr, in an interview on the Good Morning JoJo Sports show, said it is however not for a lack of trying.
“It was something that was discussed at executive level and we took a decision to pursue that. I subsequently would have contacted the president of that body to get some specific information as to what are the benefits and stuff that can be derived for an association that would join the body,” he said.
“The association [international body] has the ability for you to become a member on an individual basis and that is mostly what has been happening. But, we thought the approach would be best served if we approached as an association and all of our membership obviously, would get whatever benefits,” he added.
The president was responding to claims by former head of the association, Trevor Cranston, the local body had registered as a member of the international affiliate in 2012 when a team of players traveled to Switzerland for a tournament.
Carr refuted this claim, stating that what was paid in 2012, were registration fees for the tournament in Switzerland.
The association head revealed however, that players could register as individual members of the international body and receive similar benefits to that of Antiguan and international players Trevor Simon and September Christian.
“I can speak specifically of Trevor Simon and I think September Christian would have even been an executive member, a vice president, so from time to time when the association [international body] put on tournaments, they would send invitations to their membership and so if you and I are members in our personal capacity and this association that we are members of is going to put on a tournament, they would send and invite me to be part of this tournament and so that has happened obviously, on a number of occasions concerning the two individuals I just mentioned,” he said. 
Both Simon and Christian recently represented Antigua and Barbuda at the World Nomad Games held in Kyrgyzstan in September with Simon claiming the top individual prize while the duo had joined forces to win the team award. Christian placed second in the individual competition.
Carr said the relationship between the association and both gentlemen has always been a healthy one.
“From time to time I speak to them and I get advice. Trevor Simon, sometimes, do frequent where we play some warri with the guys. I haven’t really seen September in that particular capacity for a while but the working relationship is quite good,” he said.
Efforts, according to the president, will be made to bring the association’s membership together in hopes of approving changes to the constitution.

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