Education and Sports Minister Kenson Casimir has weighed in on Julien Alfred’s decision not to attend this year’s Commonwealth Games, as well as the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee’s (SLOC) response.
The 10-day multisport event finished on August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. The SLOC sent three athletes, including 2024 Olympian Michael Joseph. He reached the men’s 400m semifinals, but Saint Lucia did not qualify for any finals.
Earlier, the SLOC released a statement expressing its “disappointment” that 2022 silver medallist Alfred could not represent the country in Glasgow. However, Casimir told reporters he understood both sides.
“From my communication with [Alfred’s] team, she was slated to have participated at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and they did decide as a team that it may not be in her best interest for her to participate,” the minister said.
“I’m very wary of stepping in as a minister and, for lack of a better way of phrasing it, forcing an athlete to participate at an event that the entire technical team around her has advised her not to participate.”
Casimir went to the Games to support Team Saint Lucia and mentioned that the weather was cool. He said he would have liked to see Alfred “donning our colours and winning gold in the 100”, but he understood her choice.
On the other hand, the minister wondered if the decision was shared with the Olympic Committee soon enough, saying this is “up for discussion”. He also said he understands the SLOC’s point of view.
“You have to understand the Olympic Committee’s mandate,” he said. “It is to actually put out Saint Lucia’s best athletes to the rest of the world. So, their position is not incorrect.
“We need Julien Alfred to be representing Saint Lucia at most of the global events, and that is what they will endeavour to do: put the best athletes out representing the country. That is their mandate.”
