Devon Dick
THE SPORTING fraternity, especially table tennis and cricket, is suffering from 'dibby dibby' behaviour in leadership. President of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA), Joseph Dibbs, appears to be displaying this unbecoming behaviour, which is not good as Jamaica prepares for the Caribbean Championships from August 14-21.
The Gleaner's Tony Becca has asked why president Dibbs refused to play Ludlow Bailey, who finished second at the recent National Trials. And then Bailey who finished ahead of president Dibbs was not selected while the president was selected to represent us? Who is going to report the president to the disciplinary committee when he is ex-officio to all committees? President Dibbs should face sanctions for that action as a player, possibly not representing Jamaica for two years!
In addition, Dibbs has forfeited his right as a president of all table tennis players. A president must be forgiving and a peacemaker. A president ought to take the initiative towards reconciliation. It was therefore sad that on Sunday's 'Sportwatch' on CVM TV, president Dibbs repeated that someone should tell Bailey that he is not the one responsible for his non-selection. Mr. President, it is your responsibility to seek a meeting with Bailey and to hear his concerns and to tell him your story. President Dibbs, anything less is 'dibby-dibby' behaviour.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
Robert Gabay, a council member, in trying to explain Bailey's non-selection, said that the criteria for selection were participation in National Trials, international exposure and attendance at training. These commendable requirements should have been communicated in writing to the players. If that were done, the weighing should also be known and the major weighting should be on the results of the National Trials, the most objective of the three, and also the closest thing to a Championship situation. The first three should be automatic selectees and the fourth person should be at the discretion of the selectors and council.
Bailey, by virtue of ending up second, should be entered for the individual competition at the Caribbean championship. However, since he did not attend training camp where strategy and chemistry are developed, then he should not be a member to enter the team competition. His argument that he did not attend because of family and financial commitments do not 'wash'. He would have had to seek permission from the coaching staff to be excused from training.
It is good that former players can become president of the JTTA. However, a player president is a no-no because of conflict of interest. Justice must not only be done but must appear to be done. In the non-selection of Bailey, justice does not appear to be done. Let the president be a former player.
FIASCO
The unfortunate thing with this fiasco is that persons are going to use this to say that former players cannot manage. That would be sad. Because persons are saying that former Test players cannot manage to be the president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). All these years not one former Test Cricket captain has become the president. It reminds one of English Premier League Football in which no former black player has ever rose to the position of manager. Only Jamaican born John Barnes was tried for a short while in the lesser Scottish League. The West Indies Cricket Board appears elitist, which means that a small number of votes determines the president, which is not reflective of the majority of the people. This will prevent former Test captains from attaining the top job.
In fact, it is amazing that students in Jamaica are on school boards while the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) does not have a seat on the WIBC.
Many of the present problems would not arise if the WIPA were represented on the board. It would prevent the 'dibby dibby' behaviour of the lawyer making statements on behalf of Gayle and Sarwan, which he was not authorised to make.
'Dibby Dibby' behaviour by sports leaders will have a deleterious effect on sports. And there are other sporting bodies, which appear to be suffering from such behaviour.
Rev. Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of Rebellion to Riot: the Church in nation building.
