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JUNIOR CYCLIST Devante Laurence has been granted an injunction restraining the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) from implementing any decision to select another cyclist to wear the national colours at the 2022 UCI Junior Track World Championship in Tel Aviv, Israel, carded for August 23-27.
The injunction runs until Tuesday when his challenge over his non-selection to compete in the junior men's flying 200 metres, although he clocked the fastest time at trials, goes to trial before Justice Kevin Ramcharan.
In his court filings in support of the injunction Laurence, 17, of Union Road, Diego Martin, and his club Arima Wheelers Cycling club, contended the decision of the TTCF to select another male junior cyclist for the world championship and not use its discretionary powers was unfair.
Registration for the World Championship ends on July 31. Laurence says if he is not allowed to register, it would be detrimental to his career as a professional competitive track cyclist.
He also says if the court does not stop the Federation from starting the registration process, which opened on Monday, he will not get to complete as a junior as he turns 18 in September.
In support of the injunction application, president of the Arima Wheelers Club Joel Browne said he could not understand how the TTCF could use its discretional powers to select a male and female cyclist for the 2021 world juniors championship, neither of whom made the qualifying standards, but were clocked as the fastest qualifying competitors. However, the TTCF but cannot do so in 2022.
Laurence’s application contends that the qualifying time for junior male flying 200 was adjusted in November, last year, from 10.850 to 10.800 seconds, but the qualifying time for females was not changed.
Laurence clocked 11.518 seconds at trials in June. He could not compete at the May 7 trials because of an injury, and was allowed to the next month.
His club wrote to the TTCF requesting his selection to the team but was told it was not possible since he did not meet the qualifying standard required for selection.
In correspondence to the club, the TTCF’s racing secretary Claire Orr said there was “absolutely no bias” in the election of the representative for the junior men flying 200m.
Orr said cyclists were selected based on qualifying times and it was only when they did not, that alternative selection methods are selected.
She maintained a cyclist has met the qualifying time and had been selected to represent TT at the competition in the junior women’s category since the UCI requirement was for “a cyclist” to attend the championships so there was no “vacant spot.”
Laurence’s lawsuit accused the TTCF of preferring to prevent TT from having a male junior competitor at the event rather than using its powers to select him.
“I have been working rigorously for the last four years to attend the 2021 and 2022 UCI World Juniors Track Championship.
“In 2021, I did not make the fastest time at trials, I placed second at the trials in 2021. I continued working hard and made the time fastest time in 2022 despite my injury…
“The 2022 UCI World Juniors Track Championship is my final chance to wear my national colours and represent TT as a junior.
“This sudden change by the respondent to now only select cyclists who attained the qualifying standard is unfair and a clear breach of the respondent’s duty to me as a registered cyclist.
“It is heartbreaking that even after I clocked the fastest time of all the males in my trials I am not selected for the team.
“...All my hard work would have been wasted.”
His lawsuit also warned of other young athletes becoming discouraged from competing in the future.
Laurence and the club are represented by attorneys Dr Emir Crowne, Matthew Gayle, Jason Jones and Amy Rajkumar, all of New City Chambers.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the world governing body of cycling recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
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