organisation's role in refusing to support a work permit application for the Sports Medical Centre, in Hamilton, which is due to close in June.

And Dr. Stubbs has accused the Medical Centre's owner, Dr. Caroline Hammond, of trying to pressure the society by threatening to close her practice if she did not get her way.

The tone of Dr. Hammond's letter to the BMS was "take it or leave it'', he said.

Dr. Stubbs added: "The matter was dealt with very seriously and in some considerable detail by the executive committee and was presented to a well-attended general meeting of the membership.'' After a "heated'' debate, Dr. Stubbs said the BMS voted "overwhelmingly'' not to support an application for London-based New Zealander Dr. Annabel Carter to take over Dr. Hammond's practice.

Dr. Hammond, 57, had said she wanted to retire because the workload at her Medical Centre was getting too much for her.

Since there are no other qualified sports physicians on the Island, she felt that Dr. Carter, who has been her locum for four years, was the right person for the job.

But Dr. Stubbs said: "To say that one's practice is getting so large that you have to retire is a little difficult to accept.

"So much in the field of sports medicine can be very competently handled by many doctors in Bermuda.

"The lay belief that the sports clinic is the only specialist facility on the Island is a little difficult for many in my profession to accept.

"There's a great temptation to give yourself a special label to attract custom.'' The Sports Medical Centre, whose Victoria Street facility is used by several hundred sports people annually, is due to close on June 30.