March 28, 2024, 05:59:45 PM

Author Topic: Thema Williams Thread  (Read 11110 times)

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Offline Flex

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Re: Thema Williams Thread
« Reply #30 on: April 27, 2017, 01:42:22 AM »
Williams still unsure about return to competitive action
T&T Express Reports.


Thema Williams is still not sure whether she will ever take a tumble in gymnastics competition again.

“In terms of my athletic career, I would say that I have not yet made a decision on whether or not I want to further gymnastics. The entire situation going on, it’s been a lot. I’m still undecided,” she told the media yesterday.

Dressed all in black and flanked by her attorneys, a sober-looking Williams said she now spends here days “working on myself overall.”
“I have other talents as well that I’m also trying to make use of,” she said. “I’m exploring the fashion world, I’m exploring my artistic side. I am very artistic and I think being very emotional, I think that has been one of the ways I’ve been able to cope with the entire situation.”

She said that while not active in the sport that she still works out regularly “not gymnastics-wise,” and is still making a contribution.

“I also do coaching with Tots and Tumblers, the gym that I attended and I coach at Gym Explorers in Chaguanas as well. I think it’s very important to give back to the sport. It’s unfortunate with the situation that would have happened, but I still do think it’s important to give back to the younger people in gymnastics and encourage them to reach towards their aspirations as well.”

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: Thema Williams Thread
« Reply #31 on: April 30, 2017, 09:34:37 AM »
T&TOC responds to Williams’ legal team
T&T Guardian


Four days after calling on the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (T&TOC) to answer nine questions they had for it, the local Olympic Committee has responded.

On Wednesday during a press conference, lead attorney Senior counsel Martin Daly and Keith Scotland both of whom are representing aggrieved gymnast Thema Williams, who has filed a civil lawsuit against the T&T Gymnastic Federation (T&TGF) over its decision to replace her at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, are seeking clarity on the issue from the T&T Olympic Committee as a matter of public interest.

The T&TGF had replaced Williams with Marisa Dick for the Games which is the most prestigious in the world of sports.

However, yesterday, the T&TOC responded via a news release which states: “The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) acknowledges the continued public interest in the on-going court matter between Ms Thema Williams and the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF). This follows the decision of its Games Management Committee (GMC) to confirm Ms. Marisa Dick as the named Gymnastics representative to be included in the Team Trinidad and Tobago (TeamTTO) Delegation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The TTOC maintains that the process of the GMC was respectfully followed including:

1) Confirmation of the eligibility of the athlete

2) Confirmation of the qualification process of the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG)

As was stated previously, in its submission, FIG spoke to the legality of the selection of the named athlete, and noted that the name change of the TTGF representative from Thema Williams to Marisa Dick was made in accord with its regulations.

The decision of the GMC that the TTOC had no choice but to include Ms Marisa Dick in the TeamTTO Rio 2016 delegation was made after two days of intense discussion, and the consideration of submissions by several entities including FIG, the TTGF, and legal advice.

In light of the ethical issues raised during the selection process, the TTOC made the decision to invoke its authority under Clause 13 of its constitution to determine whether the TTGF had infringed the TTOC Constitution, the Olympic Charter and the International Olympic Committee’s Code of Ethics in respect of their duty to be fair.

“The lawsuit subsequently filed by Ms. Williams tied the hands of the TTOC with regards to Clause 13, as the matter was now considered “sub judice” and thus prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.”

The statement continued: “At this time, the TTOC would like to underscore its commitment to improve sports governance in Trinidad and Tobago. The TTOC also affirms that the public has a vested interest in the selection of athletes to represent Trinidad and Tobago.

“As such it is committed to making the selection criteria for athletes seeking to represent TeamTTO in various sports available on the TTOC website, and on the websites of various sporting organisations.”

In addition the statement pointed: “President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee, Mr Brian Lewis recently stated: “It is my belief that the modern sport organisation, which is still a member-based, non-profit and even volunteer-based operation, has to strike that balance between non-profit and operating in the business-space, modern environment.

“As such the TTOC acknowledges the potentially significant legal implications and consequences of all its decisions.”

The statement concluded: “As an independent body, the TTOC must continue to resist pressures including those of a political, legal, religious and economic nature that would potentially distract from its larger responsibility to all athletes in Trinidad and Tobago.

“The TTOC takes its role to develop and protect the Olympic Movement and Sport throughout Trinidad and Tobago seriously, and therefore cannot offer any further comment on the on-going matter involving Ms. Thema Williams and the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF).”

1. What investigations did they conduct into the Gymnastics Federation’s withdrawal of Thema from the Rio Test Event and from the Rio Olympics before they decided to ratify an athlete to replace Thema?

2. On the basis of what information and (information) received from whom did they make their decision to ratify?

3. We know they intended to meet with the Federation and were in frequent touch with the Federation’s attorneys. Did they make the decision to ratify the replacement athlete on a one-sided basis?

4. When it met on 30 May 2016 to “consider all the issues”—their words—what issues did they consider?

5. Before ratifying another athlete to take Thema’s place, did they consider and apply their stated principles to “preserve human dignity” and their own recognition that “any form of discrimination with regard to country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic movement”?

6. Why did they hustle to ratify the replacement athlete on 2 May 2016—a whole week before 9 May 2016 which was the deadline for doing so?

7. Why (did they) not use that extra week to pursue investigations into Thema’s withdrawal?

8. Did they yield voluntarily to the threat of a lawsuit from the Federation despite the strong hand of powers that they held in respect of their exclusive jurisdiction to decide upon the entry of athletes proposed by a recognised sporting federation and to ratify an athlete to compete in the Olympic Games?

9. Can recognised sporting federations do whatsoever they please without intervention from the TTOC?

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

 

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