THEPresident of the Bermuda Track and Field Association hit back at Mid-Island Striders head coach and founder Bill Euler this week after Euler accused the BTFA ? in particular its president Judy Simmons and national coach Gerry Swan ? of deliberately keeping the Striders out of the association.

Last week Euler said that his club had again been rejected for membership in the BTFA. Euler said at the time: "This is the third or fourth time that we have applied to join and have been rejected. It is so frustrating but obviously Judy Simmons and Gerry Swan do not want us in there."

This week Simmons rejected Euler's claims and said that the ball was in the Striders' court. "It is up to them if they want to join ? it has always been up to them," said Simmons adding that she believed that the Striders want the controversy to go on.

"They don't want it to end. They go to the newspaper for everything. They asked what they have done wrong (in their application form to join the BTFA). I listed what they have done wrong in the answer to their letter ? I have answered it."

And Simmons said it was not herself or national coach Gerry Swan who were preventing the Striders from joining the BTFA.

"These rules are not Judy Simmons' rules. These are the rules of the BTFA," she said adding that the affiliates of the BTFA have stated that if the Striders cannot abide by the association's rules then they would not be allowed in. "These rules have been in effect since the BTFA was started. This is not about me or Gerry Swan. You have never heard me come out against the Striders. I have not spoken one word against the Striders ? it has all been spoken against me. They asked for the facts and I gave them the facts."

And Simmons said she was offended that Euler blamed herself and Swan for keeping them out. "I am the president but I have to abide by the rules as does Gerry Swan. Gerry doesn't make decisions for the BTFA ? he can only make recommendations.

"First of all they need to get around the fact we have been asking them since 2002 to give a list of their members along with their date of birth, addresses and contact numbers. They have only given us names of athletes. Are they real people or not real people? Every affiliate club sends in membership details. They have not despite being asked."

Simmons said that the on-going feud has really been one way between the Striders and the BTFA.

"The animosity is not ours. I have always been objective and fair with everybody," she said adding that Euler was turned down in the past for the post of assistant national coach and that also could be one of the reasons for his dislike of the BTFA and coach Swan.

"Bill Euler wants to be the national coach and he applied for the position of assistant coach and we turned him down because of his religion. He said that on Friday nights and Saturday nights he would not be available (because of his religion) and we asked him what would happen if he had to go to Carifa on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and how he would be able to assist the athletes. He said he would have someone video the athletes' performances and he would be able tell them afterwards (about what changes they could make). We told him no ? we told him he would have to be hands-on with the children while they are competing. If a child is doing something wrong a coach can advise them on what to do right there and then. We can't have an assistant coach who is not going to be there on the spot while the athletes are competing."

Simmons added: "He has had a vendetta for Gerry Swan. He needs to drop it."

Regarding the criticism that the BTFA have shunned the Island Games (this year in Shetland) Simmons said there were a number of reasons why the BTFA were not sending athletes to the competition.

"If you look at our schedule we have many things which clash with the Island Games and we wouldn't send athletes to an international competition without officials. We just don't send athletes abroad on their own. When entering a team in an international event you have to send officials because an athlete will not be able to handle it on their own. You have to attend meetings, get numbers as well as the rules and regulations. It is different than when someone is just going to a track meet on the (US) east coast or whatever. We have rules that we have to abide by ? these are IAAF rules.

"During the time that the Island Games are being held we will be going to the CAC Seniors, World Youth Championships and Pan Am Juniors. We would like to have these competitions spread out as it is because it is putting a real strain on officials from small countries like Bermuda."

And Simmons said that if an athlete was aspiring to be in the Commonwealth Games, Pan Am Games or even the Olympics, competing at the Island Games "is not going to help them because they will not get the competition that they need".

"When you are talking about the person who comes first in the 1500 metres at the Island Games running a 4:40 or something like that how on earth is that going to help someone like Ashley Couper. When you talking about an athlete you are talking about development ? you are not talking about going to just win a medal.

"The best time for the 1500 metres for the Island Games is 4:48 while the Pan Am Juniors is 4:24 ? and that is for athletes under 20 years old."

Simmons said that they also wouldn't send some of Bermuda's young junior athletes to the Island Games. "They would be competing against adults and we try not let our young athletes compete against adults until they are mentally ready.

"The best time for the men's 100 metres is 11.39 and we just have little Trey Houston who is 14 or 15 years old, run something like 11.30 in Carifta. How is he going to benefit from going to the Island Games? If he wants to go to the Commonwealth Games why would you take him backwards?

"The way it is written up in the papers sounds like it is something sinister why we haven't been to the Island Games. But it is not. You also have to look at the fact that you are putting them in a very cold climate which for sprinters is not very good."

Expanding on why the Striders' application was denied again to join the BTFA, Simmons said there were numerous reason.

Among which were:

The coaches at the Striders poaching other athletes. Simmons said: "Some (athletes) will tell you they have been offered shoes and everything else to go over there (to the Striders) but they are not going over there."

Slamming other coaches in public which she said Euler and fellow Striders coaches Renalda Swan and Tony Bean have done over the years.

Bringing the sport into disrepute via the electronic and print media with "unfounded accusations and character assassinations of person associated with the BTFA.

Failure to adhere with the IAAF rules on several occasions by taking athletes to overseas competitions without the written approval of the member to which the athlete or club is affiliated. Simmons said that some athletes who have gone on overseas trips were registered with the BTFA.

Simmons said that the Striders' application was put before the general membership of the BTFA at the AGM at the end of March an the following resolution was passed.

"Senator Carol Bassett moved that the affiliates assist the Mid-Island Striders Track Club in meeting all the requirements/criteria needed in order for them to become members of the association and that once the requirements are met, the Mid-Island Striders Track Club be admitted as members of the association. Mr. Clarence Smith seconded the motion."

Simmons said she had written to Euler and the club requesting:

Dues should be clear whether or not you pay an annual membership fee or monthly fee or both.

Only two of the 15 athletes listed as members are registered with the BTFA. All athletes must fill out Athlete Registration Forms and have them signed by their parents/guardians should they be under the age of 21.

Submit a list of members, which include their name, name of parent/guardian if applicable, address, contact numbers and membership expiration date.

"It would appear from the signature on the documents presented that there has been a change in your officers. Please let us have a list of the names of your officers, together with the positions that they hold and the expiration date of their term of office."

Simmons said that Donna Watson, head of the Flyers track Club, became frustrated when joining the BTFA.

She said: "She had to go backwards and forwards several times (in filling out the application form) and she was getting frustrated but she did it. But this is what you have to do. I know that Donna offered to help them (Striders) and they turned them down. I have offered to help them. I heard from another affiliate member who said it (the feud) is never going to end ? it is never going to be finished because they never want it to end.

"One affiliate member said that if they are in the fold they are going to be just as disruptive as they are outside. But that is somebody else's opinion. I never have been personal with anybody ? I have always been objective and fair."