A conspiracy theorist would say that there was a plan afoot (from day one) not to have Thema Williams represent T&T at the Rio Olympics. The hullabaloo about briefly-shown photos on the Internet of both Marisa Dick and Thema Williams less than fully clothed, nixed that particular avenue. The facts remain that Ms Williams had scored higher than Ms Dick in the recent past and should have correctly been the representative for the Rio trials for T&T.
The evidence points to what seems staged, allegedly contrived manipulations to successfully get Miss Dick to Rio in time to qualify for selection.
Whether Ms Williams has an injured ankle should have been quickly ascertained by a trained medical practitioner. The sad fact is that all the above has done is awaken the negative feelings of racial bias because one young lady happens to look more Caucasian in appearance than the other.
Only in T&T do we still cling to the myth that fair skin and straight hair prevents one from dying like everyone else. Out there in foreign, as we say, Black is Black even if you only have one drop per litre of African ancestry in your veins.
The ill-feeling caused, the inferences, the manipulation of facts that have been raised, have done nothing to uplift the image of T&T. At the time of writing this letter it, the final decision is unknown but it would be best if the Olympic Committee forget about including any representative in the gymnastics event.
All that has been achieved to date is an exposure of the fact that we still cling to our colonial past. We need to embrace the fact that reward is based solely and fairly on personal achievements.
The TTGF used but a fig leaf of shame to hide from giving a proper and timely press conference.
Lynette Joseph