Department of Sports Clarifies Facility Access Procedures and Addresses Recent Misinformation
The Department of Sports unequivocally rejects the circulation of fabricated claims suggesting that athletes or SKN Athletics were denied access to the Kim Collins Athletics Stadium. All national sporting facilities fall under the management and supervision of the Department of Sports, and the procedures governing their use remain consistent, transparent, and well established.
Event promoters are required to submit written requests for access to facilities at least two weeks in advance. Upon approval, an official permission letter is issued when applying to host an event. Prior to the day of any activity there is constant communication between the Department of Sports and Event promoter. At no time did SKN Athletics request or receive permission from the Department of Sports to host the event in question.
To ensure clarity, the Department acknowledges receipt of the SKN Athletics-proposed calendar for the period. While the Department routinely receives calendars from associations, frequent uncommunicated changes in logistics and operations often occur. Despite these challenges, the Department of Sports continues to work diligently to accommodate all stakeholders to the greatest extent possible.
Therefore, the recent staging and recording of individuals climbing the fence of a closed facility—an act that constitutes trespassing—particularly on the heels of direct threats of political consequences to Department of Sports officials, can only be seen as a deliberate attempt to create political mischief and mislead the public.
The Department of Sports reaffirms its strong record of collaborating with National Sports Federations, clubs, and event promoters to successfully host numerous sports events, ensuring that high-quality opportunities remain accessible to athletes and the wider community.
The Department assures the general public, athletes, coaches, and all National Sports Associations of its unwavering commitment to supporting national sports development and advancing the goals of the sporting sector.