that the governing body should call a press conference this week and forget to invite the press.

They then proceed but fail to answer any of the relevant questions on the issue for which the conference was called in the first place.

The Royal Gazette were eventually informed of Wednesday evening's conference three hours before it was due to be held. Neither TV nor radio stations reported on it, so presumably they too were given insufficient notice to attend -- which is a pity, because the subject matter deserves a thorough airing.

The BTFA apparently had their noses put out of joint by comments from road running club president Brett Forgesson who believes his sport should break away from the governing body, whom he claims largely funnel their efforts into track and field at road running's expense.

Forgesson, of course, is quite right. The BTFA in recent years have shown little or no interest in what was once one of the Island's most popular participation sports.

Even today hundreds of joggers and more competitive runners pay their annual fees to the BTFA and receive precious little in return.

The BTFA, who often appear heavily influenced by their national coach Gerry Swan -- who shows little if any interest in road running -- cater to no more than a handful of track and field athletes.

And if track and field boasted a thriving programme, one could perhaps better understand the BTFA's position, but it doesn't -- despite an abundance of young natural talent on the Island.

For some reason the governing body has never fully capitalised on role models such as Brian Wellman, Troy Douglas and Nicky Saunders -- all of them world class athletes.

When was the last time a track and field meet in Bermuda attracted more spectators than it did track officials or volunteers? Whatever happened to the Heritage Meet, for which so much was promised? It never blossomed, and it's a sad fact that track and field remains a minority sport.

Road running on the other hand, while having declined in popularity in recent years, still appeals to a wide cross section of the community -- young, old, male, female, black, white. But if not for the efforts of Swan's Running Club and Forgesson's Mid Atlantic Athletic Club, it would have likely died a slow death.

Apart from January's International Race Weekend, which is largely orchestrated by those outside of the BTFA, nothing has been done to promote the sport or encourage participation.

Events such as the once popular end to end relay, organised by the BTFA, have been dropped from the calendar and never replaced.

Yet rather than address these issues, BTFA president Judith Simmons used her platform at Wednesday's press conference to criticise Forgesson for speaking out of turn, and George Sutherland for failing to raise the sport's profile during his tenure as BTFA vice president of road running.

Runners aren't interested in the sport's petty politics.

All they ask for are well organised races on a regular basis with incentives for the top performers.

If the BTFA can't help meet that simple demand, maybe Forgesson's suggestion that an independent road running authority be formed, is indeed the way to go.

ATHLETICS ATH