Track star Ashley Couper has slammed as "ridiculous" the stance adopted by the Bermuda Track and Field Association over the training requirements for athletes wanting to compete in the upcoming CARIFTA games.

The middle distance runner, who broke the record for the Front Street mile this year and is gearing herself up to defend her title in early January, also said that she was "amazed" that there would not be national trials for the flagship event.

"As far as I am aware, no other athletics governing body in the world insists that all athletes train under one national coach before a major event," she said.

"In the United States and other countries, most people train with their individual coaches because that is what works for them and that is what they want ? and they are able to compete internationally."

"I cannot understand why the BTFA have not organised national trials," she continued.

"That is the norm everywhere else. Why are they pushing away people who obviously have talent?"

The 25-year-old rejected the argument that it is necessary for the squad to bond before an event, claiming that in her experience it is the event itself which ultimately brings athletes together as one.

"For the Pan Ams, I trained regularly with Tamika Williams but apart from that none of us really trained together," she said.

"But when it came to the event we all supported each other and got along very well, so I'm not sure being forced to train together before the event will make much of a difference.

"I don't know why they are insisting on athletes training with him. Perhaps Swan does not have faith in local coaches. Or is it really that he feels threatened by them?"

When contacted yesterday by the , Swan refused to respond to Couper's comments.

Asked whether or not he was in any way concerned that the opinions of one of Bermuda's premier athletes were completely at odds with those of the governing body, the national coach said that he "was not interested" in anything Couper had to say before hanging up the phone.