GAA has an opportunity to chart a new course

Sports Commentary by Michael Bascombe

The elections are over, and now the real work begins for the newly elected executive of the Grenada Athletics Association (GAA).

Congratulations to President Johnell Mitchell and his team. We wish them well because Grenadian athletics needs them to succeed.

This is an opportunity for a new beginning, not simply a change of names around the executive table, but a different approach to how the sport is administered, how athletes are treated, and how the association communicates with its stakeholders.

Judging from the many comments during Saturday's TalkSports programme, rebuilding trust must be among the new executive's immediate priorities.

Current national athlete Gamali Felix offered perhaps the clearest assessment when he said the GAA needs greater "transparency, accountability, and people who genuinely care about the sport and the athletes."

Felix also pointed to Grenada's talent, facilities, and potential, while calling for clearer communication about funding, development, team selections, and the overall direction of athletics.

Former national athletes Nathaniel Mark and Kim Fullerton expressed similar sentiments. Mark called for "a fresh approach built on openness, accountability, strong leadership," while Fullerton argued that "the same old can't be acceptable."

Those voices should not be ignored or treated as criticism for criticism's sake. They give the new executive an indication of where some of the dissatisfaction exists and, importantly, where the rebuilding process can begin.

Athletes, including those attending high schools and colleges at home and overseas, should feel connected to the GAA throughout the year, not only when national teams are being selected. There have been complaints from athletes about feeling neglected and then suddenly being contacted when their services are required to represent Grenada.

Parents have also used social media to express frustration over communication, the treatment of athletes, and, at times, their interaction with administrators.

That relationship needs attention.

Mitchell now has an opportunity to demonstrate his leadership and establish an administration with its own identity and direction. This is his opportunity to lead, while drawing on the experience and skills of the people elected alongside him.

Governance must also be part of that new direction. The GAA's constitution, by-laws, membership requirements, electoral procedures, and other important documents should be easily accessible. Clubs and affiliates must understand their responsibilities and rights, and communication cannot become something that happens only around elections or major championships.

There are also opportunities beyond administration.

The InterCol Championships provide the GAA with a ready-made platform to strengthen relationships with schools, identify emerging talent, and develop commercial partnerships. Grenadian athletics has a product that corporate Grenada should be encouraged to support, but it must be packaged and managed professionally.

Grenada has produced Olympic champions, world champions, and internationally respected athletes. The administrative structure supporting the sport should aspire to the same standard.

If Mitchell and his executive members can work collectively, put aside egos and past differences, listen to athletes and clubs, and genuinely place development first, the GAA can move along a different trajectory.

And congratulations to everyone who offered themselves for service during the elections. Their expertise should not be lost. There should be opportunities for them to contribute through the GAA's various subcommittees.

The election is finished. Now comes the harder part: rebuilding trust, restoring confidence, and charting a new course for Grenadian athletics.

Mitchell elected president of new GAA executive

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, Aug 22, 2026 - Johnell Mitchell has been elected president of the Grenada Athletic Association (GAA), moving up from First Vice President to lead a new seven-member executive through 2029.

Mitchell was elected during the association’s Annual General Meeting at the National Cricket Stadium on Saturday. He succeeds Conrad Francis, who did not seek re-election.

Mike Baptiste was elected First Vice President, while Albert Joseph will serve as Second Vice President.

Desiree Stephen retained the position of General Secretary, with Aida Bedminister-Joseph elected Assistant General Secretary. Vaughn Joseph is the new Treasurer, and Shere-Ann Noel will serve as Public Relations Officer.

Mitchell and Stephen are the only two members of the new executive who served under Francis. The other five are new to the association’s leadership.

The new board will be responsible for overseeing the development of athletes, clubs, competitions, and national programmes during its term.

Mitchell said the executive will hold its first meeting on September 1, when its members will begin discussing their priorities and the preparation of a strategic plan.

“There are several things I would like to see as the new president, including stronger club structures and greater stakeholder engagement,” Mitchell told GrenadaSports. “But I want to discuss those matters as an executive and get their input as we begin putting our strategic plan in place.”

He also called on the new executive to work together and build upon the association’s long history.

“We have inherited a foundation from over 100 years and need to leave it better than we received it,” Mitchell said.

Kerlon Peters, who also contested the presidency, congratulated the newly elected team and extended his best wishes for its term in office.

“Thank you for the support, and congratulations to the new GAA team,” Peters said. “I am grateful for all the support as we continue to work for the development of sports.”

Team Kerlon Peters announces slate for GAA elections

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, August 21, 2026 - Team Kerlon Peters on Friday announced its seven-member slate to contest the Grenada Athletic Association’s elections on Saturday.

Peters will contest the presidency, with Mike Baptiste seeking the post of First Vice President and Albert Joseph nominated for Second Vice President.

Jamila Lewis will contest the position of General Secretary, while Valene Hagley will seek election as Assistant General Secretary.

Vaughn Joseph is the team’s candidate for Treasurer, while Lester Smith will contest the position of Public Relations Officer.

Peters said the slate brings together professionals with experience in several fields, including sport and administration. All seven candidates have also been involved in track and field.

“I am answering the call to serve, and I am confident in the people who have agreed to be part of this team,” Peters said.

“We have assembled a balanced slate, with each person bringing different skills and professional experience. At the same time, every member understands athletics and the work required to move the sport forward.”

Peters said the association needs people who can work together and listen to athletes, coaches, clubs, officials and other stakeholders.

“No one person can manage the association alone,” he said. “We believe we have a team capable of working together and putting the development of athletics first.”

The elective general meeting will be held at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

GAA must clear the air before Saturday’s election

Sports Commentary by Michael Bascombe

Before the Grenada Athletic Association casts a single vote at its elective general meeting on Saturday, August 22, it needs to clear up the questions now hanging over the process.

The association recently circulated a list of affiliates deemed eligible to participate in the election. That list should have brought clarity. Instead, it has created more confusion.

Several clubs and schools that competed in GAA-sanctioned events this year are not listed among the eligible affiliates. Those events included the National Relay Meet, National Championships and Whitsuntide Games.

Among the missing clubs are Top Flight Athletics of St John, Momentum Track and Field of St Mark and Altitude Track Club of St Andrew. These are not unfamiliar names. They have athletes competing regularly and have been part of the local athletics season.

Let us be fair: paying an entry fee to compete in an event may not be the same as paying an annual affiliation fee. Participation in a sanctioned meet may not automatically carry voting rights. Schools may also be allowed to enter competitions without holding the same membership status as athletics clubs.

But that distinction is precisely what the GAA must explain.

If these organisations were permitted to register athletes, pay event fees and compete under their club or school names, were they told that they were not financial affiliates? Were they given notice of the outstanding affiliation requirements? Was there a deadline by which fees had to be paid for them to participate in the electoral process?

Or were they accepted throughout the season to encourage maximum participation, only to discover shortly before the election that they could not vote?

We understand that both Altitude Track Club and Top Flight Athletics are questioning their omission from the list of financial affiliates. Representatives of both clubs have confirmed that their affiliation fees were paid at the start of the year.

Those payments should be easy for the GAA to verify against its receipts and financial records. If the clubs are financial, the list should be corrected before Saturday. If there is another reason for their exclusion, the association should explain it clearly.

There are also no clubs or schools from Carriacou and Petite Martinique listed among the affiliates eligible to participate in the election. For an organisation responsible for athletics throughout the State of Grenada, that absence should be concerning.

It may point to a wider problem with the structure of athletics in the sister isles rather than anything connected directly to the election. Either way, it deserves attention. A national association should be able to demonstrate that it is creating opportunities for organised clubs and schools across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

The uncertainty surrounding the date of the meeting has not helped.

The election was constitutionally due in January at the end of the executive’s four-year term. It was postponed to maintain administrative continuity ahead of Grenada’s hosting of the CARIFTA Games in April.

That explanation was understandable. However, several people with whom I have spoken said they were informed that the elective meeting had been rescheduled for September. It is now being held on August 22.

Who decided to change the date? When was that decision taken? When and how were affiliates officially notified? Did the notice satisfy the requirements of the GAA’s constitution? Were clubs given enough time to settle outstanding fees, nominate candidates and prepare for the meeting?

The timing has attracted further attention because Kerlon Peters, who has confirmed his interest in contesting the presidency, was abroad representing Grenada at a World Anti-Doping Agency regional symposium when the new date became known.

That circumstance alone is not evidence that the meeting was scheduled to disadvantage anyone. It would be irresponsible to present it as such. However, elections must not only be properly conducted; the process must also give every candidate and affiliate confidence that the rules were applied fairly.

Poor communication creates suspicion, even when there may be an innocent explanation.

I have argued in earlier commentaries that our national sporting associations cannot become stronger without properly organised affiliates. Clubs cannot exist only in name or appear only when there is a competition.

A functioning club should have recognised officers, a membership structure, proper records, coaches, athletes and a development programme. It should hold meetings, account for its finances and meet the affiliation requirements of its national governing body.

Some clubs and schools may need to do better in those areas.

But responsibility travels in both directions. The national association should maintain an updated register of affiliates, communicate annual fees and deadlines, provide reasonable notice of meetings and help developing clubs meet the required standards.

Governance cannot suddenly become important during election week.

The GAA can settle much of this uncertainty before Saturday by publishing the formal notice of the meeting, the relevant constitutional provisions, the deadline for becoming financial and the basis on which each affiliate’s eligibility was determined.

It should also explain why the meeting moved from the widely understood September date to August 22 and provide an opportunity for any omitted affiliate to seek a review of its status.

If the exclusions are legitimate, the association should have no difficulty showing that the same rules were communicated and applied to everyone. If mistakes were made, there is still time to correct them.

Transparency is not a favour to any candidate or club. It protects the association, the electoral process and whoever is eventually elected.

The next GAA executive should take office with a clear mandate, not under a cloud of unanswered questions that could have been settled before the first vote was cast.

Peters confirms bid for GAA presidency ahead of Saturday’s election

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, August 20, 2026 - Kerlon Peters, founder and coach of Max Potential Sports Club, has confirmed that he will contest the presidency of the Grenada Athletics Association (GAA) at its elective Annual General Meeting on Saturday.

The election is expected to produce a new president following reports that incumbent Conrad Francis will not seek another term.

Peters confirmed his candidacy while returning from Lima, Peru, where he represented Grenada at a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Regional Symposium. The meeting was held to prepare stakeholders for the changes and requirements under the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards.

Before leaving for Peru, Peters had already begun reaching out to GAA affiliates and discussing his plans for the association.

“My initial information was that the meeting was scheduled for September, but I only learnt recently that it will be held on Saturday,” he said. “That has not changed my focus on representing the interests of the athletes.”

Peters said one of his main objectives is to increase participation in track and field, not only among athletes but also in coaching, officiating, and administration. He also wants the association to place greater emphasis on developing a strong grassroots programme.

However, he stressed that greater attention must also be given to Grenada’s elite athletes, particularly those returning home without the support needed to continue their careers.

“We have athletes returning home, and there is no structure for them,” Peters said. “Along with the grassroots programme, we also have to take care of our elite athletes.”

He said a coaching programme should be established to give returning athletes continuity and help them remain competitive. His plans would also address athletes’ welfare, benefits, and insurance coverage.

Peters believes the GAA needs a strategic plan with a business component to attract support and create more opportunities. He also wants greater attention paid to athletes’ intellectual property rights and how their names and images are used.

Up to the time of publication, the GAA had not released an official list of candidates for Saturday’s election. However, reports indicate that three members of the outgoing executive - First Vice President Johnell Mitchell, General Secretary Desiree Stephen, and Public Relations Officer Kwame Hypolite - have expressed an interest in contesting positions.

It is not yet clear which posts they will seek.

The election was constitutionally due in January, at the end of the executive’s four-year term. Affiliates agreed to postpone it to preserve administrative continuity while Grenada prepared to host the 53rd CARIFTA Games from April 4–6.

Francis was elected president in January 2022. The outgoing executive also includes Second Vice President Abrel Patrick, Assistant General Secretary Geraldine Thompson, and Treasurer Claudia Francis.

Denise Williams serves as the coaches’ representative, Jelani Franklyn as the athletes’ representative, and Devon Layne as the officials’ representative.

Saturday’s meeting will determine the leadership entrusted with guiding Grenadian athletics through its next administrative cycle.