The Bermuda Track and Field Association has hit back at claims that four of the Island's top athletes were denied the opportunity to travel overseas.

Zindzi Swan, Shardae Whitter, Tiffany Eatherley and Brittany Marshall, all part of last month's successful CARIFTA team, were reportedly told by BTFA officials that if they accepted the invitation from the Mid-Island Striders for an educational tour of the US they would be axed from the national squad.

The Striders had hoped to take the four athletes along with four of their own club athletes and five club officials on a tour from April 21-28 which would include visits to various US colleges and universities in and around Washington and Pennsylvania, as well as to the Penn Relays, one of the world's most prestigious track meets.

But Swan and Marshall who, according to coach Bill Euler, had both qualified for the Relays, and Whitter and Eatherley, will now be staying behind.

"The Board had several concerns," BTFA president Judith Simmons said yesterday. "Sanctioning is not just like giving away a piece of paper and saying 'well, here you go'.

"There were a number of things that were excluded from the information and a lot of these things came to the table only after (national coach) Gerry (Swan) informed us about the initial requests made by Mr. Euler, who should have made his intentions officially known to the Board first."

Simmons said that the BTFA's mandate from world governing body the IAAF dictated that a national athlete could not travel abroad without an IAAF certified coach.

"Not one of the BTFA's three certified coaches was asked to accompany the athletes on the tour of the US," Simmons said.

"We have three coaches, Gerry (Swan), Roger Dill and Sonia Showers, who are all certified coaches and not one of them was approached to take part on this tour."

Simmons claimed coach Euler had made another error in organising the trip.

"The information we received was that the children had been approached directly by Mr. Euler and not through their parents," she said. "Under NCAA rules, athletes are not allowed to speak directly to coaches - that's precisely why they approached Mr. Swan and myself during the CARIFTA Games about several athletes they were interested in.

"If you speak to a coach then you become ineligible for NCAA athletic scholarships. People need to know the rules."

Simmons said the question of insurance was also raised.

"They would have been driving from Washington to Philadelphia. Sanctioning means that we are responsible for whatever happens. Who's the driver?" she asked.

In a further point to back up her case, Simmons said questions had been raised about the schooling of the athletes.

"We asked them (the Striders) about provisions for study because when we take a team away to CARIFTA or anywhere else we write to schools and ask for additional work to be given to the athletes so that during the course of their performances on the track they are also doing their school work," she said.

Simmons added that some athletes had not qualified for the Penn Relays and so would have paid more than $700 to just "sit and watch".

"They (the Striders) just didn't do things the right way," she said. "We are no different from any of the other 209 members (of the IAAF), so we also have to abide by whatever mandates are given out by the world governing body."