The Bermuda Olympic Association?s failure to inform foreign athletes they could no longer represent Bermuda at this year?s Commonwealth Games is a disgrace, according to a former medal winner.

English-born John Morbey, a silver medallist for Bermuda at the 1966 Games in Jamaica, told yesterdaythat BOA president John Hoskins could have ?no excuses? for not adequately publicising a 2003 rule change which would prevent non-Bermudians competing at the Melbourne Games in March.

South African triathletes Evan and Riaan Naude, English triathlete Jamie Brown, Canadian cyclist Lynn Patchett and gymnast Kaisey Griffiths only discovered last month that for all future Games, athletes would have to be nationals of the countries they wished to represent.

In the past, the only requirement was for an individual to have lived in the country for three years.

BOA president John Hoskins has defended this communication breakdown, arguing it was partly the athletes? responsibility to check the eligibility criteria before they began training.

Morbey however, who could also have represented Britain at the 1966 Games but chose instead to appear in the colours of his adopted home, interprets the issue rather differently.

?I feel enormous sympathy for the athletes concerned because I know how much work is involved achieving the qualifying standards and then getting yourself physically ready for the Games itself,? he said.

?The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is not at fault because they took the decision way back in 2003 when most athletes in Bermuda would not have begun their preparations. The fault lies with the BOA who could not have done enough to make sure the various sports associations and therefore the athletes were aware that the rules of the game had changed.

?The whole procedure was not handled properly and if John Hoskins and the other BOA representatives are not interested in getting things right, then they might as well step aside and let somebody else have a go.

?I don?t necessarily agree with the rule change itself. Winning a Commonwealth Games silver medal while representing Bermuda was the highlight of my athletic career and I would not have been able to represent the Island if this particular rule had been in place back in ?66. But whether you agree with it or not, the rule was brought in quite a while ago and there can be no excuses from the BOA for foreign athletes not knowing about it.?

Long jumper Morbey leapt 7.89 metres to claim Commonwealth Games silver in Kingston 39 years ago, one of six medals won by Island athletes in the competition?s long history.

Meanwhile, Hoskins said yesterday he would not be responding to Morbey?s comments until he had consulted with his colleagues on the BOA.

He did hint, however, that the chances of persuading the CGF to allow the five expats to compete were not as bleak as some were trying to portray.

But in an exclusive interview with on Wednesday, CGF chief executive Michael Hooper made it clear that the circumstances would have to be ?exceptional? in order for a non-Bermudian to be given clearance to represent the Island in Melbourne.