Renowned Track and Field agent urges AAG to ‘sort self’ as opportunities loom for athletes 

By Akeem Greene

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Renowned Agent and Manager Cubie Seegobin is of the firm opinion that Guyana has many budding Track and Field talents.

Still, for those truly to be harnessed, be believes the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) needs to develop proper structures and policies.

The overseas-based Guyanese, who has represented numerous Olympic athletes, including Yohan Blake, and helped locals Tiana Springer and Emanuel Archibald negotiate deals with Adidas, believes Guyana has innumerable opportunities.

“My main objective is helping the athletes first and foremost and then helping the AAG…the federation has many problems which they need to sort out themselves”, Seegobin said as he underscored Guyana’s potential in an interview with News Room on Thursday.

The problems he spoke of were made public over the past few week as a host of internal issues have been ventilated, with top officials going full blast.

Speaking with local and regional media outlets over the past week, AAG President Aubrey Hutson and General Secretary James Cole painted a clear picture that leaves little doubt about the troubles in Track and Field governance.

However, Seegobin noted that such issues are not peculiar to Guyana; they are masked in other territories due to their success on the track.

Many of the issues being cited stem from Hutson’s governance.

Some say he “micromanages” and has “mismanaged resources.”

Huston has been President since 2013 and was “suspended” in April 2023 owing to what many deemed a colossal mismanagement of the CARFIFTA team’s attendance at the games in the Bahamas.

News Room Sport understands that the suspension was not constitutional.

“There is a sense of entitlement; people think they should be in things for the rest of their lives…they need to sit down and form policies and a structure”, the Track and Field agent contented.

He highlighted how sport has become big business and the changes that need to be effected to ensure maximum returns.

“You don’t need sport administrators; you need business administrators,” he opined.

“Sport is a business, a big business, a billion-dollar business, and you need people who understand business administration.”

Efforts are being made to have the long overdue Annual General Meeting and the Elections in February.

If the AAG gets its ‘house in order,’ Seegobin indicated that offers could be made to help boost the sport.

“Very much so, everyone is coming to Guyana and we can begin,” he stated in response to future opportunities for Guyana athletics.

Furthermore, he applauded President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. on their open-minded approach to the development of sport.