DOC dispute unfortunate – IOC delegate

IOC delegate Richard Peterkin is in Dominica to address a dispute between the IOC and its affiliate members
IOC delegate Richard Peterkin is in Dominica to address a dispute between the DOC and its affiliate members

An International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegate, who is presently in Dominica, has described a dispute between the Dominica Olympic Committee (DOC) and some of it affiliate members as “unfortunate.”

St. Lucian, Richard Peterkin, met with both parties on Monday night at the Fort Young Hotel for about four hours and said the entire matter “could have been avoided.”

“I don’t have all the facts,” he told state-owned DBS Radio. “I am not sure everybody saw it coming because if so, they would not have let it happen.”

The DOC and some of its affiliate members have been at loggerheads since January 24, 2013 when a meeting was held to elect officers to the DOC executive.

The members complained there were irregularities during the elections.

They subsequently wrote to the DOC general secretary instructing that a special meeting be convened “under the powers of Article 18.1 of the Bye-Laws of the Dominica Olympic Committee,” in order to address their concerns.

The meeting, held on on May 16, descended into chaos and a resolution was passed giving the DOC executive 21 days to hold an Annual General Meeting and fresh elections but the DOC questioned whether this was necessary and referred the matter to the IOC.

The affiliate members then wrote to the IOC saying they were ‘aggrieved’ at the manner the matter was being handled by the DOC executive and asked for its intervention.

Peterkin’s visit to Dominica is in response to the request from the affiliate members and he said the task now is “to find the best way of doing things without having someone’s nose out of joint.”

“We all know you cannot have two winners in a race,” he remarked. “And there is going to be somebody who is going to be unhappy for the next couple of months but let’s hope it is mild…”

He pointed out that it is the responsibility of those running national associations to understand their constitutions. “So you should never go to elections unprepared and if you had a problem, you would have brought it up there and then at the election and not wait months afterwards,” Peterkin stated.

He said differences cannot be ignored and they need to be addressed somehow.

Meanwhile President of the DOC, Felix Wilson, told DBS that the meeting between the two parties was “conducted well” and he had “no qualms” over what the affiliate members had to say.

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12 Comments

  1. right
    July 17, 2013

    Mr Peterkin may i remind you that this is not about winning or losing, it is about what is right and what is wrong. The constitution lays down all the conditions for elections

  2. Push
    July 17, 2013

    Mr Peterkin, the only persons who saw this coming were the staff, that is why they were fired, but there was nothing they could do about what they were seein. we hope you are not just as bad as them. We are talking about an attack on the constitution of the DOC, we wait to see your report

  3. Tell it Like it is
    July 17, 2013

    I msurprised that the IOC would send someone who is a known friend of Wilson and Dorsett to settle a dispute such as this. Peterkin wont be objective at all.

  4. Natural Living
    July 16, 2013

    First of all ADMIN, the caption with the picture is incorrect…there is no dispute between the IOC and affiliate members…the dispute is between the DOC and its affiliate members…
    It was not brought up months afterwards….this statement is very misleading….it was not brought to the IOC immediately because the national associations were trying handle their business locally first…during a special general meeting a resolution was passed by 15 of 18 sporting association demanding new elections based on all information that came forward. The General Sec. publicly agreed in an interview with DBS that there were irregularities in the process and therefore elections would be called…they then decided to write to the IOC seeking their opinion…the DOC wrote the national associations saying that the election matter has been put to rest..without showing us the letter they supposedly wrote to the IOC or the letter written back…It is only after the National Associations wrote the IOC, they responded by indicating they would send someone assist with the matter…this was explained to Mr Peterkin lastnight…On top of that the DOC constitution does not have a time limit on when you can challenge an election like he thought was 60 days…this was made clear to him….so i do find it strange that this statement was made to the media

  5. Jay
    July 16, 2013

    A few noses out of joint is far less important than having a national Olympic organisation that is transparent and run both in the interest of the athletes and the country. It is not a personal club and the sooner we abandon that notion the better it will be.

    • Anonymous
      July 16, 2013

      Are Dominicans capable of not making anything a personal club? That’s ALL Domincans know how to do is make it personal so they can gorge and feed themselves at the expense of everybodyelse. Gimme a break!

      You dont see how they fighting hard? for what? Clearly loads of benefits to be had as it surely aint about the athletes! stewps. Disgusting set of people.

      • Jay
        July 17, 2013

        Anonymous, you are more forthright. Of course, there should also be an investigation to ensure that no funds were misappropriated and used for purposes other than they were intended for. Any findings should be made public and guilty parties prosecuted as a warning to those, who may be tempted to in future.

  6. Ooh LaLa
    July 16, 2013

    A St Lucian investigating the DOC? Does not seem right to me. But why is that such a large majority of Associations are calling for new elections based on the constitution and it is not being held? Is not the constitution the “LAW” as far as the DOC is concerned and that all involved have to abide by it? How and why can an executive try their utmost to govern an organization when so many members of that Association are saying that they do not have confidence in your ability to govern? Why is it that persons would try to hang on to power so desperately? There must be some unknown motive. Just my few thoughts.

    • orchid
      July 17, 2013

      Why not a St. Lucian? The appropriate person had to do the job. What is your problem with that? There are procedures to be followed in the operations of all organizations. If procedures were followed on the local scene someone would not have to come to Dominica to help settle the problem. Food for thought?

  7. ???????????
    July 16, 2013

    True when we learn it is not about I but it is a team and we get over our arrogant ways, respect others, then we will move and be better organisations.

  8. HARLEM
    July 16, 2013

    HOPE HARLEM reading know your constitution WE need our agm and independently audited financial statements

  9. Dominican Overseas
    July 16, 2013

    Its a shame that big men cannot sit and discuss amicably. Someone has to come from overseas to thrash out petty issues in an organisation. I just think we have some power hungry people, looking for self gratification and not concerned about other people but themselves.

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