Today, our sports desk received a Belize Cycling Association letter indicating that the Acros Guinness Smiling Cycling Team was successful in its appeal against the disqualification of its American rider in the recently concluded 19th Annual Sol Female Cross Country Cycling Classic which took place on Sunday, May 25.
In our story “Shalini takes the garland!” in Amandala #2239 of Sunday, June 1, we had reported that, “Of the fifteen cyclists who started the race in San Ignacio, thirteen actually completed the journey; but, though she crossed the finish line in 6th position, 51-year-old American Marianne Holt (Acros Guinness Smiling Meats) was not listed among the official finishers, as she was disqualified following a successful protest on a registration irregularity.”
The following day, May 26, Smiling Cycling Club coach Matthew Smiling wrote the Association’s Appeals Board contesting the disqualification of his rider. In his two page letter, Mr. Smiling articulated in a very logical and rules-based argument why he thought the disqualification was unfair and should be overturned; and the Appeals Board apparently was convinced. In his letter copied to Mr. Smiling, dated June 6, Cycling President Gerald Garbutt stated: “The members of the committee ruled in favor of the Acros Guinness Smiling Cycling Team. As a result, Marianne Holt will be reinstated in the #6 position. Enclosed please find a check for Marianne Holt in the amount equivalent for the prizes won.”
The crux of Mr. Smiling’s argument was that his team was not legitimately in violation of the rule that said, “Each local team with two (2) or more female riders on the team will be allowed to invite one (1) foreign rider.” According to Smiling, “one of our Belizean cyclists became medically unfit to ride the race and was advised by her doctor not to participate… I notified both Mr. Gerald Garbutt (BCA President) and Ms. Leticia Westby (Coordinator of Female Races) of the situation, as early as Saturday, May 24. Both gave me oral assurances that there would be no objection to our team’s foreign rider participation, even though only one Belizean rider would be able and fit to ride in the race.
“My ill Belizean rider heroically offered to come to sign in before the race, despite her continuing illness, even though her doctor would not allow her to participate in the riding of the race…
“On the day of the race itself, prior to the signing in, I again spoke with Ms. Westby, who once again assured me there was no problem with Ms. Holt’s riding with only one local teammate.”
It follows then, that, for the record, the names of finishers of the 2008 Sol Female Cross Country Classic will be changed from the 6th position onward as follows: 6th Marianne Holt (Acros Guinness Smiling Meats); 7th – Kaya Cattouse (C-Ray, 4:14:04); 8th – Nancy Amores Ulate (Benny’s Megabytes, 4:14:08); 9th – Shantae Morrison (Comfort Air, 4:36:25); 10th – Camille Solis (Benny’s Megabytes, 4:36:25); 11th – Jane Usher (Benny’s Megabytes, 4:36:25); 12th – Fiona Humes (Eco Works, 4:36:25); 13th – Erin Mclellan (Unattached, 4:36:25).