T&T's Beijing Olympic team to be announced this week

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO'S Beijing Olympic team will be officially announced this week.   The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) Executive Committee will present its recommendations for consideration and ratification to the TTOC General Council  on Thursday  17 July at the Hasely Crawford Stadium,VIP Lounge from 6pm.   In accord with the TTOC and IOC Olympic Charter, Olympic Games team selection is the exclusive purview of the National Olympic Committee(NOC).The selection process,however,calls for the individual National Sport Organisations(NSOs) to present their team  nominations to the TTOC Executive.   TTOC president Larry Romany explained that the reality of the situation is that the International Federations(IF) and the IOC have established  qualification standards that have simplified and made the selection process transparent.   "In 1997, the TTOC  agreed a policy whereby athletes who attained the IOC and IF qualification standard will be selected ,In addition ,we also look ahead and use the B qualifying standard to afford excellent future prospects the invaluable opportunity to benefit from the Olympic experience"said Romany.   The local Olympic chief pointed to Ato Boldon,George Bovell,Marc Burns and Darell Brown as notable beneficiaries of the TTOC's future prospects philosophy.   Romany further clarified  that discipline,anti doping violations,lack of fitness or injuries are  factors that could negatively impact on selection."We require participation at the CAC,Pan Am and Commonwealth Games as a prerequisite for Olympic selection ,so while achieving the qualification times is a significant factor it is not the only one"he added.