Dear Sir,

If there is life left in the Adrian Robson v BTFA story let me add my two penny worth.

Firstly I am very confident that absolutely nobody in Bermuda (and that includes Mr. Robson) is against athletics - on the track or on the roads, at recreational or elite level . . . therefore he is not and nobody else to my knowledge is an enemy of track and field!

Mr. Gerry Swan says Robson "whines". Actually, Robson selects valid sporting topics and highlights them. Sometimes he praises and sometimes (I think too often) he criticises. On the other hand I know Swan started complaining in The Workers Voice back in the late 1970s and he seems to have been whining ever since.

In spite of long-winded outpourings by Swan and Mrs. Judith Simmons, Robson is not against athletes, families, volunteers and most of the civilised world - he and many others are against some policies, attitudes and actions of both the hard-working Simmons and the highly qualified, paid national coach.

In most areas the sport has moved downhill over the past few years and it is contended that these policies, attitudes and actions are to a large degree responsible.

Examples are the loss of most of the BTFA's sponsors, banishing a long-standing club from membership, alienating dedicated volunteers and athletes (only insiders know the full extent of this), creating an atmosphere that necessitates the presence of lawyers, bouncers and Police at AGMs, reduced participation in road races, repetitive public and private strife, failing to produce one woman representative at the recent CAC cross country, too many athletes not improving, watching the quality of International Race Weekend slide year after year, consistently supporting only a favoured few (these can do no wrong !) . . . !

Why one hundred and fifty volunteers attended the CAC cross-country and helpers abound at International Race Weekend is because goodwill is still felt by the man in the street towards the sport. My instinct is that the pro-BTFA letter writer in Saturday's Gazette might not be close enough to the action to know that rampant ill-will festers too and unfortunately this is felt, not so much by the average volunteer as by influential coaches, executives and athletes.

Don't let anyone maliciously twist the meaning of this letter - no athletes are criticised, no helpers, no parents, no regions! Everyone who helps or competes seriously is an invaluable resource but for the BTFA to regenerate, to fully tap into the reservoir of available talent, sponsorship and goodwill, it has to be "inclusive".

Mrs. Simmons has been a dedicated, hard working and more than competent president but unfortunately a rebirth of spirit is needed. The "my way or the highway" people who ruled have fragmented the sport and in the long-term interest of the BTFA should step aside.

If there are still dedicated individuals out there who want a chance, it's time they are given that chance! I can seriously anticipate an exciting renaissance in the BTFA should this happen.

ROBERT OLIVER