Table tennis feud continues

Despite a number of Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA)-led mediation meetings between Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) President Godfrey Lothian and challenger Andrew Lue, over the last few weeks to help resolve an ongoing dispute between the parties, it has ended in a stalemate.

After nearly three weeks of discussions, JOA President Christopher Samuda has come to the conclusion that it would be better if the matter is taken to the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF).

The two parties were hoping to reach a consensus on the membership (voters) list and its legitimacy, which is the bone of the contention. However, they were unable to do so, leaving Samuda to refer the feuding parties to the DRF.

Lue said he was hoping the meeting would assist in cleaning up the affiliates list and establishing requirements for audited reports for Lothian's full tenure. However, he revealed that they might not go the DRF route, as they are contemplating calling a special general meeting (SGM), which is constitutionally due, and move for a no-confidence vote against the president. He also wants to use the more credible JTTA affiliates to determine the final voters' list.

"We are still back at square one, but at least now we can stop looking in the direction of the JOA, because they have come outright to say they are not interested in playing a part in helping to resolve this issue," Lue said.

Bogus affiliates

"The affiliates of the JTTA know who are the bona fide affiliates. We know the procedures followed by Lothian in trying to establish bogus affiliates was contrary to the requirements of the constitution, which automatically disqualifies those 49 new affiliates. I don't think it will be a similar outcome (as last time)," he added.

However, Lothian argued that all affiliates on the list are legal and that Lue is trying to find a loophole to help him win the election.

"That is madness. This is not a dictatorship. If they (affiliates) paid their fees and went through all the ramifications of the affiliation, they are affiliates.

"They (Lue's team) are saying some of these people are not eligible to vote, but these people paid their money (affiliates fees), they voted for the constitutional reforms on the 28th of January 2019, they voted again the February election. But because you are trying to find a way to win, you are trying to get a lot of these people not to vote. That will not happen. And we will use any means legally," he said.

Lothian defeated Karen Sinclair-Lym for a third term in February 2019, but that result was ruled null and void by the courts, after Sinclair-Lym challenged the process by which the association's constitution was changed.