MINISTER of Sport Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo admiring the exhibits in the museum of the Olympic Centre. At left is Mario Vazquez Rana, president of the Association of National Olympic Committees and partly hidden is IOC president Jacques Rogge. (Pictures by Charles Pitt-Grant.)

by MIKE KING

Barbados Olympic Association (BOA ) president Steve Stoute did not hide his disappointment that there were no duty-free concessions for the new Olympic Centre at the Garfield Sobers Complex.

Speaking at Tuesday night's inauguration of the facility, Stoute reminded Minister of Sport
Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo that the $2 million facility had not been afforded a single concession.

"A sponsor for our museum would be greatly appreciated and we seek your support on this,"
he said.

"I may also mention, Minister, that while the Cricket Legends House was accorded full duty-free status, we have not received one concession
for this Olympic Centre.

"And, if I cite one example, when you tour the building you will see
a bust of Baron Pierre de Coubertin. This was donated to us by the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. It is interesting to note we were charged $4 000 in duty for this bust."

Minister Suckoo said she had taken note of Stoute's "less than subtle hint" on the issue and the subject of duty-free concessions would be looked at.

She commended the BOA for its stellar service to sport in Barbados and said the addition of the centre to the sporting landscape of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex would fit in well with the overall vision that Government has for sport.

She said the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Government in its manifesto had listed a close relationship with the BOA as a matter of urgency.

Before an audience that included former World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Dick Pound, the minister said she was disturbed by the incidences of doping clouding world sport.

She said there were plans to have a clause attached to the constitution of every national federation which dealt with anti-doping.

It was a big night for former empress of the squash courts, Natalie Webber-Small. The 11-time national champion and former Southern Caribbean winner earned the coveted Olympism Trophy.

Webber-Small earned the award based on her organisational skills, knowledge of the sporting culture, work in building the BOA secretariat, and conceptualising Olympic Solidarity projects.