Sports Minister apologises for women's softball team's Bahamas fracas
By Tim Smith –and Kyle Hunter
Bermuda's women's softball team was yesterday rebuked by Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney for bringing "embarrassment" on the Island during a tour to the Bahamas which erupted in violence. Two players became involved in a physical fight at the team hotel — with other teammates arguing — resulting in Police having to be called, Mr. Blakeney told the House of Assembly.
The Minister also criticised the team's lack of leadership, with the side walking off the field during the opening ceremonies of the English Speaking Caribbean Amateur Softball Tournament involving Bermuda, the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos at the end of last month.
He said Sports Permanent Secretary Ellen Kate Horton had to fly to the Bahamas to try to patch up Bermuda's reputation — and Ms Horton reprimanded the players, removed the captain and ordered them to fly home without their Bermuda uniforms. A formal letter of apology has since been sent to the Bahamas Government, copied to Bermuda's Premier Ewart Brown, said Mr. Blakeney.
Mr. Blakeney said the Department of Youth and Sports is now reviewing code of conduct guidelines for teams representing Bermuda during travel and international competition aboard to "ensure such reprehensible behaviour never happens again".
In a Ministerial Statement yesterday morning, Mr. Blakeney said: "I rise before the House today to report on an ugly incident that threatened to tarnish Bermuda's good name in one of our neighbouring islands, the Bahamas.
"The Bermuda team were not well organised, had no discernible leadership and, at the end of the day, various Bermudian players were an embarrassment and far less than Bermuda sports ambassadors.
"This became even more obvious when the Bermuda team walked off the field during the opening ceremonies.
"I won't give you all the gory details, but two members were involved in a physical fight against each other and various other Bermuda team members were involved in the related verbal argument that occurred inside the hotel where the team were staying and the unfortunate incident resulted in the Police being called.
"When I learnt of what was happening and after discussions with my Permanent Secretary, Ms Ellen Kate Horton, it was decided that she would immediately fly down to the Bahamas to intervene on behalf of Bermuda and try to salvage what remained of Bermuda's previous excellent conduct record when competing in the Islands, especially pertaining to the Bermuda women's softball reputation.
"Ms Horton was on the very next flight that departed Bermuda and did indeed meet with the hotel management, hotel security, the local Police, as well as the organisers of the tournament in Bahamas.
"Ms Horton also took control of the team, removing the captain, collecting all Bermuda uniforms and informing the team that it would be quite inappropriate for any of them to wear a Bermuda uniform during their return home and they would not be allowed to travel in any Bermuda uniform under such reprehensible circumstances.
"Ms Horton apologised to the police, hotel management and the Bahamas softball hosts."
Mr. Blakeney said the formal letter of apology has been sent to Bahamas Sports Minister Desmond Bannister and copied to Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Alexander Ingraham, Dr. Brown, the President of the Bahamas Softball Federation, Super Club Breeze's hotel manager, the Commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and president of the Bermuda Amateur Softball Association (BASA) Terry Richardson.
