Donna Watson, the president of the Bermuda National Athletics Association, has hit out at the National Sports Centre’s board of trustees over its decision to charge the Island’s top athletes to use the facility.

While Watson understands the call to introduce fees for the general public, she believes it is “ridiculous” that athletes who represent their country should have to do the same.

Unless the trustees rethink their unpopular decision, Watson fears the development of top young athletes, such as middle-distance sensation Kyrah Scraders, will be severely hampered.

“I’m very disappointed,” Watson said. “I get that the public at large should be charged, but for athletes preparing to represent Bermuda [to be charged] is ridiculous.

“It is interesting as I spoke to some of my Caribbean track and field neighbours and they told me their national athletes do not pay to train. Where is the human side to all of this? Our programme is just beginning to thrive and get back on track and because of this we could possibly lose athletes.”

Watson pointed out that many of Bermuda’s elite athletes rely heavily on financial support to keep their competitive careers afloat and should not be expected to dip into their own pockets to train.

She suspects the main reason for the trustees’ demand for cash is to cover the crippling running costs of the multimillion-dollar Aquatics Centre, which opened last summer.

“What about the elite athletes when they come home to train?” she questioned. “We know it is not financially easy for these athletes.

“We have young athletes like Kyrah Scraders, who is on the brink of breaking into the elite category in her age group.

“I am sure the major reason that they want to charge us is because of the cost of maintaining the pool. There really is not a whole lot of maintenance required with an all-weather track.

“We met with the NSC trustees and thought we were going to revisit this before anything was announced. I am not very happy about this at all. I agree the stadium needs to be monitored for use, but why are my athletes affected. It’s funny they build a pool and want the track athletes to pay for it.”

Charles Jeffers, a founding member of the BNAA, previously known as the Bermuda Track and Field Association, has urged the trustees to reverse their “pay to train” decision.

“There is a lack of sensitivity to our Bermudian athletes [by the trustees],” Jeffers said. “If we had other options, it would be different, but we don’t. Where else are they going to train?

“I mean, where are we going to find another place to put in another track? I find their decision incredulous and urge the trustees to reconsider this. All the athletes registered [with the BNAA] should only have to show a card to be able to train for free.

“How are we meant to produce world-class athletes if they have to train on an asphalt track?”

Public entry fees for the track facility and stadium include $8 for adults, $5 for youth (13-18), seniors (65 and over) and $2 for children (6-13).

Multipack fitness packages of ten tickets are also available, as well as monthly passes.

BNAA-registered clubs will have the opportunity to rent the track for training at national sport group rates.