BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — THE St. Kitts Department of Sports has moved to clarify its position on the use of national sporting facilities, following a video circulated over the weekend that criticised the government after athletes arrived at a facility and found it closed.
On Saturday, several athletes from both St. Kitts and Nevis turned up at the Kim Collins Athletics Stadium, only to discover the gates locked. Videos shared online showed some athletes climbing the fence to enter.
In a media statement, the Department said it “unequivocally rejects the circulation of fabricated claims” suggesting that athletes or SKN Athletics were denied access to the stadium.
The Department reminded the public that “all national sporting facilities fall under the management and supervision of the Department of Sports, and the procedures governing their use remain consistent, transparent, and well-established.”
It further explained that event promoters are required “to submit written requests for access to facilities at least two weeks in advance,” and, once approved, an official permission letter is issued. Ahead of any event, “there is constant communication between the Department of Sports and event promoter.”
“At no time did SKN Athletics request or receive permission from the Department of Sports to host the event in question,” the statement added.
Up to publication time, St. Kitts-Nevis Athletics (SKNA) had not issued a response to the Department’s statement. The stadium’s renovation has faced public criticism in recent months, including concerns about how long the upgrade took to complete.
The Department also acknowledged receiving SKN Athletics’ proposed calendar for the period, but noted that “while the Department routinely receives calendars from associations, frequent uncommunicated changes in logistics and operations often occur. Despite these challenges, the Department of Sports continues to work diligently to accommodate all stakeholders to the greatest extent possible.”
It added that “the recent staging and recording of individuals climbing the fence of a closed facility—an act that constitutes trespassing—particularly on the heels of direct threats of political consequences to Department of Sports officials, can only be seen as a deliberate attempt to create political mischief and mislead the public.”
The Department ended by assuring stakeholders of its “unwavering commitment to supporting national sports development and advancing the goals of the sporting sector.”
