(CNS): The Cayman Islands Athletic Association (CIAA) has issued a statement in which it has apologised to local athlete Lacee Barnes-Riley and her husband, Adrian Riley, as a result of the part it played in the couple being escorted from the CARIFTA Games in the Bahamas this weekend after their coaching accreditation was revoked. The incident marred a very successful competition for Cayman’s athletes, who brought home two gold medals and a bronze.

Barnes-Riley, a gold medal winning national athlete and shotput record holder, and her husband have been coaching a number of Cayman’s young athletes who were going to the Games. But when she applied for coach accreditation, the CIAA said it was not possible because the team had reached its coach quota.

According to a video posted by Barnes-Riley on social media, she and her husband sought and secured the necessary accreditation privately. But she said that officials from the CIAA who were in attendance at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau complained to the Games organisers and the pair were escorted from the coaching area by police.

Barnes-Riley described an embarrassing and difficult moment, not just for the coaching couple but for the whole team as they were ejected from the competition area in front of the Cayman and regional athletes.

In response, CIAA said it regretted the “way it unfolded” but said that accreditation for Cayman coaches should go through the local association.

“Barnes-Riley is a talented and respected Caymanian athlete whose contributions to the country’s track and field community, both on and off the field, are invaluable and greatly appreciated,” the CIAA said in a statement.

“The CIAA executive would like to apologise to her and her husband for their experience at CARIFTA and we regret the way it unfolded. We hope that they will consider formally engaging with the CIAA training and development programmes as their experience and expertise will greatly benefit the further development of our Cayman athletes.”

But the association said accreditation of team officials could only be made with the consent of the Member Federation, namely the CIAA. Officials said that they had advised Barnes-Riley in February that the CIAA coach quota with the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) had been filled and so the couple could not be accredited.

They then applied directly to NACAC directly for accreditation as part of the Cayman Islands team and were denied, the CIAA stated. However, Barnes has stated that the couple did secure accreditation and has challenged the CIAA to state exactly who benefitted from their removal.

CIAA officials said that when Barnes-Riley and her husband were observed coaching Cayman team members, they made inquiries about their credentials as they were obtained without the proof of CIAA’s approval and the couple had received passes in violation of the NACAC Rules. The association claimed it was at risk of being disciplined or fined by NACAC for the infraction, or worse, the Cayman team being disqualified from the Games.

“At the heart of this incident is a breach of protocol which could have had serious repercussions for CIAA, the Bahamas LOC and our athletes,” the CIAA stated. “We concede that the way it was handled by CARIFTA organisers was regrettable but the outcome would have been the same – a revocation of the accreditation due to the way in which it was obtained.”

The CIAA said it would welcome the opportunity to discuss the matter with Barnes-Riley and her husband with a view to moving forward and building on the positive momentum that Cayman’s success at CARIFTA achieved. However, according to reports on Cayman Marl Road, Barnes-Riley said that she has not heard from the CIAA or received a copy of the statement they issued with the apology.

Cayman had one of its most successful CARIFTA Games this year, with its first gold in 13 years. The athletes came home with two golds and a bronze. One of the gold medals was won in the U-16 long jump by Andrew Stone, who is coached by Barnes-Riley.

The other was won by sprinter Davonte Howell, who pulled off a 100-metre victory to earn the coveted medal. Meanwhile, Anthony Chin made the podium with a bronze in the U-17 boys long jump.

See the full statement from CIAA below: