President Osborne to miss Tokyo 2020

The Barbados Olympic Association Inc. (BOA) announced that President Sandra Osborne will not be among the officials traveling to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The president’s absence will in no way affect the team as all the pre-games and on-the-ground preparations are already in place to facilitate the athletes’ seamless participation in the games.

In a message to the BOA family, Osborne noted her disappointment at not joining the team which was brought about by an abundance of caution for her health. Her note read “After much agonizing and equivocating I’ve made what for me is a very difficult decision not to travel to Tokyo. It came down to a combination of many factors – the escalating cases associated with the Delta variant, conditions that put me in a high-risk group, discussions with my family and Doctor, watching Covid related Games news, and in the worst-case scenario, not wanting to be a distraction to those whose focus must rightly be on the Athletes. I know that Team Barbados is in good hands.” 

Secretary-General, Erskine Simmons will take on the President’s responsibilities in her absence. The contingent is also ably managed by Vice President and Chef de Mission Cameron Burke while Gail Craig Archer is in Tokyo as the Covid Liaison officer. The BOA has also co-opted Verna Holder, a Barbadian living in Japan to be the team’s Olympic attaché. Taking care of the team’s health will be Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Carl Ward, and physiotherapist, Alicia Brewster.