Bermuda's athletics officials have slapped a gag on competitors participating in the 18th CAC Games.

The Island's five track and field competitors claim they were ordered to sign a contract earlier this week in which they agreed not to talk to the press.

Coach Gerry Swan has consistently refused to answer questions relating to the team's performances, referring all inquiries to team manager Pat Lake, while the athletes themselves were apologetic as they declined requests for interviews.

Swan claimed he had an agreement with Bermuda Olympic Association, but the BOA's general secretary John Hoskins said earlier this week he had no knowledge of any such deal.

And last night BOA president Austin Woods insisted no gag had been enforced by his association.

"We've simply asked those at the Games to sign a code of ethics,'' said Woods. "It says nothing about the athletes not being able to talk to the press.

"If Gerry Swan is saying that he hasn't read the document.

"It's nothing different to what competitors have been asked to sign at previous Games, the last Commonwealth Games in Victoria and the Atlanta Olympics. It tells the athletes they can't speak on behalf of their association but there's nothing to stop them talking about their individual performances.'' CAC Games Chef de Mission, Joan Taplin, meanwhile, was vague about the agreement, saying that all athletes and officials had been required to put their names to a paper calling for good behaviour.

"We all had to sign the same piece of paper. Ours was modelled on the UK example and it requires that we agree to behave ourselves and not talk too much with the press.'' She implied the reasoning behind the move was so that the sports could put on a united front.

"It's to ensure we don't all go rushing to the press saying different things,'' she said.

However, if the edict did come from the BOA, its impact would have been felt among the other sports represented here.

But swimmers Tamika Williams and Craig Roberts were not prevented from talking to the media before and after their respective events during the first week of competition, while officials from cycling, gymnastics and hockey said they were happy to allow their team members to be interviewed.

This meant suspicion fell on Bermuda Track and Field Association for acting independently. But their official spokeswoman in Maracaibo, team manager Pat Lake, said the document was presented to all those travelling to Venezuela by the BOA.

She said: "We all had to sign the document and were told if we didn't, we couldn't come. I don't know what the motive behind it was -- I guess they have their reasons.'' She was unable to be specific about what instructions the document contained.

"Nobody had much time to read it completely, apart from one or two things,'' she said.

But she claimed the only person charged with talking to the press by the document was Taplin.

However, other sports competing in the Games said they had no knowledge of the BOA form.

Cath Davis, an assistant coach with the Bermuda ladies hockey team which has been competing in the capital, Caracas, said she was not aware of players or officials being asked to sign anything by the BOA.

And she said she wasn't aware of the BLHA having objections to the media speaking to coaches and players.

The problem surfaced on the first day of track and field on Saturday when Swan refused to answer questions relating to Tariq Hewey's run in the 100 metres heats.

The following day he stepped in as The Royal Gazette tried to get some information on whether Atiba Tucker's leap of 7.03 metres was enough to qualify him for the long jump at next month's Commonwealth Games.

Tucker initially seemed prepared to talk before spotting Swan and mumbling "I don't know whether I can.'' And after competing in the 5000 metres on Monday night, the usually approachable Terrance Armstrong politely declined a request for an interview.

"I'm sorry, I was told I was not able to speak to the press,'' he said. "It was something to do with the BOA which we all signed.'' GERRY SWAN -- refusing to talk to the press.