President Lue has no ill intent for detractors

President of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA), Andrew Lue, harbours no ill will for his detractors, whose actions he attributes to being a factor in his decision to walk away from administrative work within the body.

According to Lue, who took over the reins in February 2021, the continuous fighting within the JTTA has stymied the progress of the sport, which he hopes will improve when the new president takes over.

"I don't have time for any animosity. Now I realise how that debilitates the sport and what happens is not the person who is the president suffering, it is the players, coaches and schools, those people who rely on the sport.

"So, when you spite the president, the president is not getting paid to do it, so it is not like he will want to benefit from it. It is the players, and so on, who suffer when sponsors withdraw their support," Lue said in a telephone interview with STAR Sports yesterday.

Lue has faced stiff opposition from table tennis stakeholders during his tenure with members of his executive resigning and several affiliates being disgruntled about some decisions. His inability to provide audited financials for his years in office also compromised his presidency and prevented the JTTA from having an annual general meeting (AGM) last year.

The financials are still not ready, which will again be discussed at a Special General Meeting (SGM) at the Sports Development Foundation on February 7, starting at 6 p.m. The affiliates will decide the process to take without the stipulated audited financials, which constitutionally, must be prepared before the AGM can be held.

"The affiliates are restive, and that's fine. I look at it philosophically. Sometimes, things happen, and we must accept them and move on. Sometimes things point you in a particular direction, and we just accept it and move on," Lue said.

Meanwhile, according to Lue, affiliates have until January 31 to register to be able to participate in the SGM, which will allow only paid-up members.

He stated that stakeholders who had tried to become affiliates last year and were rejected, have the opportunity to present the correct documentation to become affiliates.

"We have until the end of January as is constitutionally stipulated for the registration of affiliates to take place, and then we have the SGM after we determine who are the paid-up affiliates, and then we go forward.

"If they paid late and weren't accepted on the affiliates list the last time, now they have an opportunity to pay up and come, but if they are unqualified to be an affiliate, no matter how much they pay, they will still not get in," Lue said.