by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Swimmer Jennifer Harding-Marlin filed an Application with the CAS Ad Hoc Division against the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee (SKNOC).
Ms. Harding-Marlin, who holds dual citizenship in Canada and St. Kitts and Nevis, was not selected by the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee (SKNOC) to compete for the Country at Tokyo 2020 following a decision on July 12.
“In her application, the swimmer alleged that the SKNOC discriminated against her on the basis of race, and on the type of sport and had been arbitrary, unequal, unfair and unreasonable in the selection of its Olympic Team,” according to a statement from the SKNOC.
The 29-year-old requested that the SKNOC nominate her for the women’s 100 metres backstroke at Tokyo 2020 for a place in the universality quota.
The universality quota system allows smaller nations with no Olympic swimming qualifier to enter up to one male and one female athlete.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Ad Hoc Division upheld the decision of the SKNOC in not entering Harding-Marlin for competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games in Japan.
On Sunday, July 18, the Court stated that “…based on the foregoing evidence and legal analysis, the Panel concludes that none of the Applicant’s claims have merit.” Harding-Marlin’s application was dismissed along with all other claims for relief.
President of the SKNOC, Alphonso Bridgewater, stated that the allegations did not describe the nature or character of the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee. In the statement from the SKNOC on the decision by the CAS Ad Hoc Division, Mr. Bridgewater explained that the St. Kitts and Nevis Swimming Federation is not a member of the SKNOC and thus “No swimming entries were considered.”.
Previously, Harding-Marlin competed at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju in South Korea, where she finished 41st in the 50m backstroke and 85th in the 100m freestyle.”
