Op-Ed: A letter to Shania Adderley

I want to take the time out to congratulate the recent curated Olympic team headed to Paris to represent the Bahamas in the 2024 Games.

Team Bahamas is without a doubt received with great expectancy by Bahamian’s and athletic enthusiasts worldwide.

The processes by which our athletes are selected is not a new one, but this time around our well accomplished athletes are at the helm of controversy.

This matter is not about heart, loyalty performance or any one time historical opportunity.

This is about ethics, rules, standards and finally, morals.

Shania Adderley is indeed a rising star and deserving of every opportunity to become the best in her category as an athlete, but that does not take away from Lacarthea Cooper who has proven herself to be a formidable force, entitled to perform and to win.

I write not to point out the obvious, but to simply appeal to Shania, to show us what I believe she has within her, which is the moral prowess to allow her understanding of athletics to guide her decision to observe or to compete in Paris.

The decision is no longer in anyone’s hands and its up to Shania as she decides to regard herself a team player, a rising star and ultimately someone who will lead the team to success when she qualifies to be apart of team Bahamas.

Shania, is by far the most powerful person in the Bahamas today, she has the opportunity to restore our belief in good will and values, something that the Olympic Games embodies.

There is no doubt that Shania Adderley’s time will come I would hate to see her disenfranchise her future for one moment that she didn’t qualify for.

Athletics is all about performance and the support of your fellow athletes as well as athletic associations and federations inclusive of the Bahamas Associations of Athletic Associations as well as the Bahamas Olympic Committee, to be successful.

I’m saying this to you as a mom of an athlete and as someone who doesn’t care for track but as someone