WHILE Shadow Minister of Sport, Jon Brunson, is 100 percent behind Bermuda's national cricket team who will take on the likes of India and Sri Lanka next year at the World Cup, he is also hearing from athletes in other sports who he said are feeling financially left out following Government's $11 million investment in the cricket team.

"Many of these sportsmen and women have proved themselves on the world stage and are asking 'what about us?'" he said. "And you can see their point of view."

Brunson said that a number of athletes and sporting bodies have come up to him and privately complained about the amount of funding and support they get from Government in comparison to the huge amount cricket is getting.

"Other governing bodies are very sensitive to the fact that they are reliant on Government support and they do not want to make a lot of waves to put what they do get in jeopardy. I know they may not come out as a body in public and say anything, but I can say with all certainty they are asking 'what about us?'. They want to know what do they have to do to get to that level (cricket sponsorship) or even a percentage of that support.

"But I do think cricket deserves the support they are getting ? that is the only way to develop our athletes but we also have to have some measurement and accountability to show that they can deliver.

"Government have neglected to look at other sports. The budget allocation for many of these sports really pales in comparison to cricket."

And results do matter, said Brunson in the wake of Bermuda's crushing Stanford 20-20 defeat to Jamaica.

"I believe that the sports that are able to deliver the results should also be well supported. And to that extent you have to look at sports like sailing. If you want to look at results, sailing is a sport that has consistently delivered world class athletes from Peter Bromby, Paula Lewin, Malcolm Smith ? the list goes on and on and it delivers at all levels. Sailing is a sport that is worthy of continued investment.

"Also track and field which is dear to my heart because my daughter (Jasmine) is one of Bermuda's best up and coming triathletes. She won a gold and silver in junior CACs. And then you have Arantxa King who won the World Juniors, Latroya Darrell, Matthew Spring ? a lot of young kids. But these sporting organisations struggle to raise funds.

"Basically all other sports are treated like the red headed stepchild."

Brunson said the athletes themselves have to also be accountable. Noting that the TV commentators at the Stanford 20-20 match between Bermuda and Jamaica in Antigua last Friday evening poked fun at some of the weight being carried by the Bermuda players, Brunson said: "They really need to get in shape. I am a amateur athlete but I have competed in the Ironman (triathlon) and I understand what it takes to compete in an event like that. I have represented Bermuda at the World Triathlon Championships and have run the May 24th Marathon Derby ? and I have done that while working full time. Fitness has nothing really to do with working full time. Many things come into it, one of which is a person's diet.

"I understand the commitment, discipline and focus you have to have to compete at the high level. When players are carrying that much weight in the field in the heat ? well that is not good.

"Now do you rip the carpet under their feet when things start to go bad ? no. But certainly people have to be accountable and get results."

One of the main problems is that Government have not "developed a national agenda on sport," said the Shadow Minister.

"Government needs to take a step back and look at sport in general and the only way to do that is develop a national agenda," he said.

"I was hoping that the $11 million was a step to show Government's commitment to sport in general but that has not been the case. After all Government only give $200,000 a year to the Bermuda Olympic Association ? that is for all our Olympic athletes. I think that is a real failing of this Government. It is critical that we have a national sports agenda so that people understand where sport is moving and what Government's role is. Right now it is not clear. This $11 million now becomes an aberration and shows no rhyme or reason to the logic as to how sport is going to develop especially when you have many other sports that have on a consistent basis delivered."

Sport, said Brunson, is a missed opportunity in Bermuda. "We have a lot of kids who are extremely talented and we underestimate what sport can do to help these kids ? especially those who feel marginalised ? young black males. That is another failing of Government. We don't promote and encourage and have a forum to allow young people to really excel in sports. First we lose them in the classroom and then we lose them on the sporting fields. Sport can help the number of the kids who are falling through the cracks. I really believe that."

Brunson said he was also concerned that football was getting the short end of the stick.

"I know football has its issues but it is the largest participation sport Bermuda has. And it is struggling. I don't understand it. At one time Bermuda were able to compete and play with countries like Trinidad, Jamaica, the US and Canada and we have fallen well off the pace."

Brunson had words of advice for a number of sporting bodies in Bermuda ? get your financial affairs in order.

"One thing I would say is that some of the obligations must fall on the national governing bodies because I think these institutions have to be fiscally responsible and they have to have a good accounting on how they are utilising their funds. That has been a failure of many national sports and track and field unfortunately is one of them."

Of the news this week that the English charity behind last April's 20-20 World Cricket Classic has gone bust, Brunson said: "I thought the concept (of the Classic) was a good one. But what I also find interesting is Government's level of awareness of what it was going to cost. Now after all is said and done we can see it wasn't as tightly managed as one would have thought. The event has happened and now there needs to be some thought on how these issues are going to be resolved and who is going to resolve them.

"The real people hurt are the small business who are owed thousands of dollars for goods and services provided. And that is unacceptable. Government needs to help and solves those issues.

"If you (as a small business owner) know the event is receiving Government support and money ($1 million), it would give you the comfort level that the things you provide would be paid for.

"I think that small businesses have been left holding the bag."