Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) Secretary General Brian Lewis, who attended the Securing Sport 2013 conference in Doha Qatar recently, says sport is in danger.
Lewis, who represented the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) at the two-day conference hosted by the International Centre for Sport Security(ICSS) believes it was an eye-opener. The information and research papers presented revealed that organised crime, illegal betting, doping, money laundering and corruption were all activities that were placing in danger the core values and ethos of sport.
“Sport as we know it is in danger. Here in TT we can’t be naive. The threat will soon hit our shores if it is not here already,” he explained.
“The TTOC should take the lead and look at ways of raising awareness and education. Knowledge is power and the better informed the national sport organisations, athletes and coaches are, it is the greater our chances of managing the risks.”
Presentations were made by a number of experts in anti-doping, anti-corruption, counterterrorism, public health, organised crime and public policy.
“I am convinced that the conference presenters weren’t crying wolf. The evidence presented was compelling. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. TT sport must take heed. Doing nothing is not an option. It is serious and I am sounding a warning,” he declared.
Source: www.newsday.co.tt