Basseterre, St.Kitts (April 13th 2010):-“Pundits are trying to make this about "a rule" but this is about far more important things: the right to challenge anyone/anything that you deem to be wrong, the right to practice your religion once it doesn't violate the right(s) of another, the right to challenge a system that wishes to step on an individual because that individual is DIFFERENT”.
This was the sentiment of Horsfords Ghetto Roots Head Coach Dr. Garfield Alexander.
Alexander made the statements in light of the recent challenge brought by his team against the St. Kitts Amateur Basketball Association’s stance on barring a player from participating in the annual SKABA league. The SKABA denied the player from playing midway through the 2009 season after a FIBA rule was enacted. The FIBA rule prohibits players from wearing headgear . However Dr. Alexander and the Ghetto Roots are contending that to bar the player is a violation of his constitutional right to practice the religion of his choice without discrimination.
“Since last year we(GHETTO ROOTS BASKETBALL CLUB) were told that Dale Rochester (aka the "Bobo Dread") will not be allowed to play, at the same time we did not officially file an appeal last year as we were in the midst of a championship and trying not to cloud the vision with controversy, said Ghetto Roots Head Coach and Rams Hitters Team Physician Dr. Garfield Alexander.
“This year our conscience did not allow for anymore delay and we sent a letter to the executive outlining our displeasure at the decision to disenfranchise our player. A unilateral decision seem to have been made that the letter held no merit. No appeals board was put in place (as stated in the rules) to deliberate on the merit of our arguments, the "Bobo Dread" was never invited to hear his side, none of the other member clubs/teams were privy to the letter or to the official decision,” the Head Coach declared
Dr. Alexander continued, “As stated by the President himself I serve as not only the Head Coach and Team Physician of Ghetto Roots but also the team physician of Ghetto Roots so I am more than capable of being objective in any matter. I will forever sing Mr James "Barman" Hanley's praises, he has done a lot for basketball but that doesn't make him God, Judge-Jury-Executioner, does it mean that I cannot rise against him when he is wrong...it's called being fair, impartial and bipartisan, something it seems is often misunderstood in SKN.”
“I was taught that if something is wrong, it is wrong, irrespective of who is doing it or who it is being done to. Doesn't anyone else find it WRONG that this young man who has never had disciplinary action taken against him in the league and is an upstanding citizen of this country, will never ever play basketball in our premier league again,” said the former SKABA Vice President Dr. Alexander.
Alexander continued “Too many times in St.Kitts we allow our egos to supersede common sense and good judgment. I plea to all involved to make an effort to do what is in the interest of basketball on a whole”.
Mr. Rochester played for 2 years with the Cayon Lions basketball team with the head-dress being a part of his attire while playing. However according to Alexander the head-wrap has since become an issue since Rochester was transferred to the Ghetto Roots Basketball team. This has led some to suggest that the ban on the head-dress is more than just an adherence to a FIBA rule but might be motivated by other reasons.
The SKABA rules are guided by F.I.B.A. rules and in many cases are not identical to the rules of the international body. This leaves room for national associations to use their discretion on certain issues as each national association will have issues specific to them.
