The CARIFTA battle lines were clearly drawn yesterday as Mid-Island Striders questioned their members' exclusion from consideration for the region's junior athletics showpiece.

However president of the Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) Judy Simmons said the national sport's governing body will not budge from its long-standing policy of requiring prospective national selectees to be part of a national training squad well in advance of major competitions.

Mid-Island's athletes - as well as top middle-distance runner Flora Duffy - will pay the price for not meeting to the December 15 deadline in this instance, she added.

Her comments followed Sports Minister Dale Butler's statement - surprisingly announced in Parliament - that Mid-Island's appeal had been dismissed by BTFA's Board of Directors.

“The Board heard the appeal on Monday night and decided not to entertain this late request... it would not be fair to those athletes in training for many weeks to be distracted by a late entry at this point.

“I wish to note Mr. Speaker that the rules were announced early... This inability to comply with the rules cannot be endorsed at this late hour,” Butler told fellow MPs.

Simmons contended “all the factors were considered” in deciding not to admit ten Mid-Island athletes to train with national coach Gerry Swan.

“(We considered) what was in their letter and also the fact that we made them aware of the deadline since June 2003,” Simmons continued. “We explained why we were starting on December 15 as we have done in previous years. This has been a BTFA policy since its inception in 1971.

“It was not made up for CARIFTA. We also looked at the fact that we heard nothing from them as to why they were not going to be in compliance. Everything we have heard from them - other than the letters we received in the past week - has been through the media. There has been no other correspondence directly to us.”

Regarding Duffy, the president said the 16-year-old declined an invitation to join the CARIFTA unit to concentrate on the triathlon.

Disappointed Mid-Island coach Bill Euler countered Simmons' charge that his club never indicated why their athletes would not join the national training programme last December.

“Looking at the schedule of track meets leading up to CARIFTA we felt there wasn't enough competition for the kids.

“I questioned coach Swan and Mrs. Simmons about what high-calibre meets they had to prepare these athletes for CARIFTA and his (Swan's) response was that Brian Wellman, Devon Bean and Nicky Saunders didn't need to go to any meets to help them qualify so why should we send these athletes,” said Euler.

“We felt that wasn't an adequate answer so we found meets for our athletes to go to but with no intention of not sending them to the national squad.

“We always said (we would send them) March 1st which was adequate time because these guys have been training very hard..”

Given that only eight national-squad athletes have reached the Games' qualifying marks thus far - and with this weekend being the final chance to do so - he noted the decision to exclude Mid-Island could affect the Island's showing at the annual championships being held here over Easter.

“There are way too many events open... We see the need for athletes in many events. We're not saying we have the best athletes. We're saying we have athletes to contribute who have been training for CARIFTA,” pointed out the coach whose club submitted the names of athletes who have either made or are close to making the standards.

Euler also queried why overseas-based athletes are being included when BTFA is turning away local athletes. However, Simmons said those athletes either reside or study abroad and had “made their interest known to BTFA prior to December 15”.

The president was adamant Bermuda's squad will be finalised after Sunday's last trial and that the only athletes under consideration are those in the training squad and overseas competitors who are coming to try and qualify. The team, she explained, must be picked now as their names have to be given to Hamilton Princess, the host hotel, by March 8.

Asked if Mid-Island would pursue this matter further, Euler replied: “We're waiting to see what's going to happen in the next few weeks. We're still hopeful.”

The coach revealed that some Mid-Island athletes could compete for other CARIFTA nations.