Fight over registration of swimmers
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday April 8, 2023 06:00
Gondo Gondo, the father to the three swimmers, Ruvarashe, Thakundanashe, and Matipaishe has locked horns with Kubu Swimming Club, which is refusing to release them to a rival club, Stingrays.
Gondo is the director of Stingrays and wants his two girls and boy to switch from Kubu. Stingrays have requested BSSA to intervene in the matter to allow the three to make the move.
In September, BSSA president Andrew Freeman wrote a letter to Stingrays informing them that Kubu had not issued a release letter for the three Gondo swimmers in accordance with adopted practice and requirements. “Until Kubu issues release letters and BSSA receives the same, the said swimmers will not be registered by the BSSA under Stingrays or any other club save for Kubu,” Freeman said through the letter.
Stingrays secretary, Nyarai Gondo wrote back to the executive committee in which they complained that they were denied the right to appeal. “We requested for a dispute hearing with the BSSA executive committee after we were notified that three of our swimmers who are Stingrays members and registered with the BSSA since 2019 are no longer registered as Stingrays members.
When asked for the reason behind such a decision being made, we were informed that the BSSA executive committee had made an error during the registration process of the mentioned swimmers and that it had just been brought to their attention by another affiliate club,” the letter reads. Gondo said BSSA notified Stingrays about the error they made in registering the swimmers after three years without a release letter from their previous club. “Yet every year from 2019 until the date of the letter, the very swimmers swam at BSSA-sanctioned galas without the mistake being seen. Every year we sent in annual registration forms for the swimmers and BSSA registered them without any query, clearly, the BSSA was negligent in executing its administrative duties for it overlooked such a crucial document as a release letter for three years,” he said.
Poles were shifted when Freeman wrote a letter in February in which the swimmers were suspended with immediate effect until they were properly registered. “The BSSA has asked Stingrays for a release letter from Kubu so that the swimmers can be properly registered with Stingrays. Stingrays have not produced a release letter and not demonstrated that they will acquire one, or that one is being unreasonably withheld.
Stingrays are rather continuing to avoid what we understand to be the root of the issue and are challenging the decision of the BSSA in ways that are no longer unacceptable,” reads the letter in part. Reacting to the decision, Gondo said the suspension of swimmers from BSSA-sanctioned competitions is against the World Aquatics constitution, which governs BSSA. “Such a decision is both harassment and abuse of athletes. When they are denied the right to compete and the right to represent their country,” Gondo said.