Darren Millien is out, and general secretary Sheldon Phillips has had his portfolio cut down by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA).
Yesterday, those decisions came at a special meeting of the TTFA’s Executive Committee was held according to an Association press release, to “discuss the issues and circumstances surrounding the tour to Argentina in June 2014.”
The meeting follows a two-part report on the Wired 868 website last week that claimed that $400,000 was unaccounted for. The matter is said to be before the Fraud Squad.
According to the TTFA release, the Executive Committee agreed to accept the withdrawal of Darren Millien’s services as commercial agent for the TTFA following a meeting between Association president Raymond Tim Kee and Millien on Friday.
It was also decided that general secretary Sheldon Phillips would no longer lead government relations and team management functions. William Wallace will now take up those duties
In addition, the TTFA has also appointed former president of the West Indies Players Association Dinanath Ramnarine as a consultant to lead efforts to assist the TTFA with its governance and management reform and to review and restructure its operations.
In the release, Tim Kee offered no reasons for the removal of Millien or the downsizing of Phillips’ portfolio, but instead said, “the TTFA is pleased to have someone of Mr Ramnarine’s caliber as part of its reformation effort. Dinanath is a hard-working individual who brings to the table a wealth of experience in sports administration and governance.”
Ramnarine, who has been a member of the TTFA’s independent review commission, also involved in the mediation of the settlement of outstanding payments to the 2006 World Cup players.
Ramnarine said, “I look forward to working with Mr Tim Kee and the Executive Committee to establish processes and systems that would put Trinidad and Tobago football on its best footing.”
On Wallace’s inclusion, Tim Kee added: “Mr Wallace brings a wealth of experience to our organisation having managed relationships with various Government and international organisations. He has worked extensively with various bodies both in local football and cricket at the youth and senior levels and has demonstrated a high level of commitment. I think he will be a valuable addition to the management of the TTFA.”

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T&T men overcome Venezuela

The Trinidad and Tobago men’s rugby sevens team grabbed bronze last night, on the penultimate day of the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Veracruz, Mexico.
In a fiercely competitive match, T&T surged from behind to defeat Venezuela 26-24 and take the bronze medal.
T&T’s Agboola Silverton was the star player in the match with 20 points from four tries, while Keishon Walker, instrumental in getting them to the bronze medal playoff, notched four points from two conversions. Christopher Hudson was the final scorer for T&T (two points from one try).
The T&T squad was down 19-14 at half time but a superior defensive display led to them outscoring the South Americans 12-5 in the final half.
Earlier, T&T  lost their semi-final match against Colombia 33-12  with Keishon Walker scoring seven points from one try and one conversion while teammate James Phillip added five points from one try.
They were scheduled to play Venezuela in the bronze medal match.
In their quarter-final game, the T&T men whipped the Cayman Islands 24-0,  with David Gokool leading the scoring with 10 points from his two tries, while Keishon Walker had a try and a conversion for seven points, with Daniel Scott contributing five points (one try) and Aasan Lewis adding two points with a conversion.
T&T’s women were also victorious over the Cayman Islands, winning their preliminary match 20-5. Nicholette Panthor had two tries with Fayola Jack and Kanisha Vincent adding one apiece, while Shenel Gall had a try for the losers. They were subsequently beaten 39-0 by Venezuela in their next round robin match but beat the Caymans again 37-0 to take fifth spot.
Meanwhile, T&T’s men’s beach volley team of Fabien Whitfield and Daneil Williams were beaten two sets to one--17-21, 21-11, 14-16--by Jamaica’s Christopher Walters and Ryck McKenzte in their 9th-12th placement playoff match.
Whitfield finished the match with 14 kills and one ace, while Williams had 13 kills and three aces. McKenzte and Walters had 13 kills each with the former serving five aces and the latter, one. T&T was scheduled to face Guatemala at 7.00 p.m last night to decide the eleventh and twelfth places.
In completion among the women, T&T’s Nancy Joseph and Ayanna Dyette suffered a 2-0 defeat, losing 19-21, 11-21, to Anna Ramirez and Blanca Recinos of Guatemala in their 5th-8th playoff match. Dyette had eight kills and four aces, with seven kills and an ace coming from Joseph while Ramirez and Recinos both had 12 kills with the latter serving up two aces.
In squash, T&T’s men lost 2-0  against El Salvador for fifth to eighth place spots. T&T’s Kale Wilson  battled but lost out to Guatemala’s Israel Abrego 3-2 (9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 9-11) while the experienced Colin Ramasra was overhelmed by El Salvador’s Jose Molina in straight sets (7-11, 10-12, 6-11).
And in water polo, the T&T men were set to oppose Puerto Rico  in  the fifth and sixth place playoff after press time.

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Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T) hurdler Mikel Thomas failed to medal at yesterday’s final day of track and field competition at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games when he produced a fifth-place finish in the men’s 110 metres hurdles event in a time of 13.83 seconds at the Heriberto Jara Corona Stadium in Xalapa, Mexico.
Running out of lane seven, Thomas had a good start, recording the second fastest reaction time of 0.167 seconds, and was well in the medal hunt over the first 60 metres but gradually faded out of contention as Cuba’s Yordan Luis Ofarrill grabbed gold in 13.46 from his countryman Jhoanis Portilla, 13.53, while Greggmar Swift of Barbados took bronze in a time of 13.59.
After the race Thomas told the Express he wasn’t disappointed at not medalling. “It’s very, very early right now for me in my preparation and this is the first time really going over any hurdles for the year, so it was a good opportunity to work some executions and try to put it together.”
In other action, T&T’s men rugby team got off to a good start to competition in Pool A by defeating Venezuela 14-5 in their opening match. Joseph Quashie and Jesse Richards contributed five points apiece as both scored tries while Christopher Hudson had two conversions for four points. Luis Zamora had one try for Venezuela’s five points.
T&T next faced Costa Rica and came away winners by a 27-10 margin. Wayne Kelly led the way with two tries for his ten points while Quashie, James Phillips and Darrel Scott each had a try and Keishon Walker chipped in with a conversion for his two points.
Luis Siles and Franklin Zuniga scored a try apiece for Costa Rica. Up to press time, the men were engaged in battle with Mexico in their third fixture. The rugby women were not as successful as their male counterparts after suffering losses to Colombia, 36-5, and Mexico, 36-0, while playing to a 10-10 stalemate with Jamaica.
And in beach volleyball action, T&T’s Fabien Whitfield and Daneil Williams were awarded a 21-0, 21-0, win after the Costa Rican duo of Diego Alpizar and Julio Alvarez, who were slated as injured, could not compete in the playoff fixture to decide positions 9-16.
The women’s pair of Ayanna Dyette and Nancy Joseph were not as fortunate in their quarterfinal matchup against Costa Rica’s Karen Cope and Natalia Alfaro, going under 21-13, 21-13, to bow out of medal contention.
Up to press time, T&T’s men water polo team was leading Guatemala 13-3 at the Leyes de Reforma Aquatic Centre in preliminary action while the men’s squash team was trailing Guatemala 0-1 after Colin Ramasra was beaten 11-3, 11-9, 11-2, by Edwin Enriquez.

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National hurdler, Josanne Lucas missed out on securing a coveted 2014 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games podium place for Trinidad and Tobago in the Women’s 100m hurdles final yesterday after finishing fourth, when action continued on day-12 at the Heriberto Jara Athletic Stadium in Veraccruz, Mexico.

Running out of lane eight, Lucas clocked a time of 13.62 seconds.

Additionally, Kyle Greaux advanced to the final of the Men’s 200m event last night, finishing third fastest (20.83s). The final was scheduled to run off last night but up to press time, results were unavailable.

In the same event, Emmanuel Callender was disqualified in his semi-final try.

Kendis Bullard (1:53.63) also did not make the cut for the Men’s 800m final as he crossed the finish line in fifth position of semi-final one.

Additionally, Olympic sailor Andrew Lewis was fifth and fourth in Race Six and Seven respectively of the Men’s Laser category at Gaviotas Beach yesterday. Female sailor, Cecilia Wollmann also had a fair showing as she was seventh and 14th in the same stages of the Women’s Laser Radial Series.

In badminton at the Omega Complex, both Nekeisha Blake and Jada Renales were eliminated from their Women’s Singles Round of 16 campaign yesterday. Having successfully conquered Daigenis Saturria (Dominican Republic) 21-14, 21-18 in the previous round, Blake fell victim to the Cuban athlete, Adriana Artiz, 12-21, 12-21. Renales had a similar exit as she went down 9-21, 6-21 at the hands of Puerto Rican Genesis Valentin.

In Men’s Singles action, youngster Will Lee bowed out of the Round of 16 losing out 17-21, 12-21 to Bajan Andre Padmore. Kerwyn Pantin was also unable to get past his man and lost 15-21, 18-21 to Willian Cabrera (Dominican Republic) in the Round of 32.

The TT beach volleyball team also began their tourney at Reino Magico yesterday but were beaten 1-2 by El Salvador. TT lost the opening set 16-21, bounced back to win the second 21-16, but could not capitalise and lost the third set 12-15.

And in volleyball news, the men’s team had a shaky start to their CAC campaign as they lost their opening match 0-3 to Mexico on Tuesday night.

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Trinidad and Tobago’s Josanne Lucas will be trying to secure another Central America and Caribbean (CAC) games medal for this country when she lines up in the women’s 100 metre hurdle final at the Heriberto Jara Atletic Stadium in Veracruz, Mexico, today.
Lucas was third in the first semi-final yesterday, crossing the line in 13.79 seconds to qualify for the final. Columbia’s Lina Marcela Florez won the ‘semi’ in 13.31 seconds while Venezuela’s Genesis Romero finished second in 13.62 seconds.
The other semi-final yesterday was fast with Columbia’s Briggite Maria Merlano finishing first in 13.14 second. Lucas will run out of lane eight in today’s final. In other track and field results yesterday, T&T’s Akeem Stewart just missed out on a medal in the men’s shot put.
Stewart’s best effort was an 18.08m throw which was good enough for fourth place. Mexico’s Mario Cota won the event with a 19.30m effort. T&T’s Quincy Wilson throw 16.11m to finish in sixth place.
Today T&T’s badminton players will hit courts at Omega Complex with Nekeisha Blake will take on Daigenis Saturria of the Dominican Republic in women’s singles Round of 32 action.
T&T’s Kerwyn Pantin will face Willian Cabrera of the Dominican Republic in the men’s singles round of 32 match. Jada Renales (women’s singles) and Will Lee (men’s singles) will also see action today in the round of 16 of the Badminton competition.
Renales teams up with Keiran Quan Chee for the women’s doubles contest against Guatemala’s Beatriz Ramos and Nikte Sotomayor while Pantin and Alistair Espinoza will face the Domincan Republic pair of Nelsol Javier and Alberto Rapozo in the men’s doubles competition.
The T&T men’s water polo team will also be in action today against Cuba while boxer Michael Alexander will face Mexico’s Lindolfo Delgado in the men’s 60kg light semi-finals at the World Trade Centre Veracruz.

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...national team’s fifth-place finish best ever at CAC Games

The management of the Super 10 Basketball League (SBL) has congratulated to the Trinidad and Tobago senior women’s basketball team for their performance in the 2014 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games where they placed a creditable fifth following their 70-61 win over Costa Rica on Sunday in Mexico.
Despite trailing in the first half 31-38 T&T led by centres Patrice Edwards (captain) and Afeisha Noel with 17 points each rallied to beat El Salvador 70-61 in the final play-off for 5th and 6th positions.
They were supported by point-guard Jowan Ortega 14 points and centre Samantha Wallace with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
T&T won three of its five matches at the CAC games while Jamaica, who are the reigning CBC Champions were beaten by Costa Rica 58-52 for 7th place. Jamaica ended last with no wins in five matches.
In a media release issued on Monday, the management of the league said “It’s the country’s best placing at the CAC Games which makes it a very proud and creditable performance for T&T which placed fourth at the Caribbean Basketball Championships (CBC) in July”
The SBL will also be placing greater emphasis on its women’s division in the upcoming season which will jump-off on December 14 at the Jean Pierre Sports complex, Port of Spain.
“The Trinidad and Tobago women have played in every CBC Championships since 2008 and Centrobasket Tournaments in 2009, 2011 and 2012,” the release added.
“This is the start that T&T basketball needed to move away from the CBC and Centrobasket tournaments in its attempt to vie for more top quality competition that is recognised under the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The next stage is the Pan American Games and FIBA Americas tournament. The leadership of the technical staff headed by Coach Christopher Jackson Charles and team skipper Patrice Edwards must be commended.”

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