By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas’ current sports policy does not let the government properly award Devynne Charlton, the hurdler who won gold and set a world record during last week’s World Indoor Championships, according to Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg.

He said the Davis administration would update the policy so such athletes could get proper awards.

Under the sports policy, only Track and Field athletes who compete at the Olympics, World Championships or Pan American Games can receive $40,000 for each gold, $30,000 for each silver, and $15,000 for each bronze medal won. Neither indoor championship achievements nor indoor world records are addressed in the document. 

“This outdated bible that has been sitting in the ministry time after time, nobody decided to look at it, but this Davis administration understands that we have to take a holistic approach to take care of our athletes,” Mr Bowleg said during his contribution to the mid-year budget debate yesterday.

 “Guess what? When we update this sports policy, we intend to ensure with the collaboration of the Olympics Committee and the BAAAs, NACAC and everybody around the world who takes care of their athletes, we will ensure that those who break records in the past under the other administration and those who break records under this administration is awarded properly.”

 Ms Charlton’s 7.65-second performance in the 60m in Scotland last week pushed The Bahamas into a seven-way tie for ninth place on the medal chart, the top place for a Caribbean country.

 Last month, Mr Bowleg said his ministry would award Ms Charlton $10,000 after she first broke the 60m world record at the Millrose Games in New York.