Central Spokes Cycle Club

𝗧𝗧𝗖𝗙 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗔𝗠 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘀

The Trinidad & Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) was plunged into crisis this week as its Council convened an emergency meeting on Monday night to confront mounting concerns that the proposed January 17 trials for the 2026 Pan American Track Cycling Championships were not compliant with its own rules. The move followed three formal letters challenging the legality, timing, and fairness of the planned selection event, prompting urgent questions about whether the Federation should—or even could—proceed at all.
At the centre of the dispute is the TTCF’s long-standing selection policy, which requires trials to be held at least 12 weeks before major competitions. TTCF President Rowena Williams, who chaired the 8 p.m. Monday meeting convened under her constitutional authority, confirmed that the proposed trials fall outside this mandatory window, placing the organisation in breach of its own procedures. Additional uncertainty surrounds the Pan American Championships, as the federation has not yet received official confirmation of the event dates.
The Racing Committee had earlier held a planning meeting with eleven clubs in September, where early December trials were discussed as part of a collaborative approach to the 2026 season. However, those discussions have now become the subject of scrutiny. Correspondences to the TTCF, including a legal opinion from sports law specialist Dr Emir Crowne, argued that the proposed trials were procedurally improper, risked disrupting internationally-based athletes, and could negatively affect the preparation of the country’s highest-ranked riders. Williams acknowledged that although collaboration took place, the constitution does not require such consultations—and the federation must ultimately follow its written policy.
What followed was a wide-ranging and highly critical debate on the state of the TTCF’s selection system. Notably, the three cyclists most directly affected—Makaira Wallace and Njisane Phillip, currently training in Canada, and Alexi Costa-Ramirez, T&T's lone, active roster pro rider who is also based abroad—were present and vocal at the hastily convened online meeting. Other Council members, including former TTCF president, Robert Faria, described the existing policy as unclear, outdated, and riddled with contradictions, particularly concerning timelines, the treatment of sprinters versus endurance riders, and the rules governing discretionary selection. Several members said the Racing Committee had not adequately maintained or interpreted the policy, despite repeated warnings over the past year. Concerns were also raised about weak communication with elite athletes and the absence of structured long-term planning.

As the meeting progressed, members clashed over whether the federation could override its own policy due to missed deadlines, or if doing so would compromise the organisation’s integrity. Proposals ranged from using national championships as the qualifying event, to relying on discretionary selection, or postponing trials until January. One participant even suggested not sending a T&T team to the event. As surprising as it seemed, Williams allowed the motion and put it to a vote. All parties, however, agreed that each option would fall outside the formal policy requirements.
Eventually, after nearly an hour and a half, the meeting culminated in a formal Council vote. Members were asked to choose between hosting a selection event, using discretion, or selecting no team at all. The Council voted 12 in favour of holding an event, 3 for discretion, and 1 for no selection. A second vote determined that trials—not national championships—would be used, with January 17 set as the date.
The decision ensures a path forward, but not without consequence. The TTCF acknowledged that the January trials remain outside the selection policy and do not resolve the broader structural issues identified throughout the meeting. Members requested full transparency, including circulation of all correspondence and detailed minutes, in light of the sensitivity of the matter.
The emergency meeting ended with the federation still in breach of its own timelines, but committed to proceeding with January trials as the only viable option remaining.

📸COUVA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - AUGUST 10: (L - R) Silver Medallist, Makaira Wallace of Team Trinidad and Tobago, Gold Medallist, Sarah Johnson of Team Scotland, Bronze Medallist, Liliya Tatarinoff of Team Australia stand on the podium during the Women's Keirin medal ceremony on day six of the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games at National Cycling Velodrome on August 10, 2023 in Couva, Trinidad And Tobago. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images for Commonwealth Sport)

𝗧𝗧𝗖𝗙 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘀 𝗻𝗼-𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗔𝗠 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟴 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 A leaked exchange from an emergency Trinidad & Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) Council meeting on Monday night shows officials openly considering a proposal that would effectively eliminate the country from the 2026–2028 Olympic qualification cycle before it even begins. According to information from individuals present at the closed-door session, the TTCF president, Rowena Williams, put to the floor a vote on “no selection” for the 2026 Pan American Track Cycling Championships—the mandatory first step in the UCI qualification ladder. One Council member sought clarification on what the motion actually meant, asking whether “no selection” would result in not sending a team at all. Williams confirmed it would. The member then warned that skipping PanAms would automatically bar Trinidad and Tobago from attending the 2026 World Championships and, by extension, from entering the Olympic qualification process. The stark consequence was spelled out plainly: "Don’t go to PanAms, and you don’t go to Worlds; don’t go to Worlds, and you don’t go to the Olympics." Yet the president insisted that the option remained on the table. Sources familiar with the discussion described the moment as “bewildering” given the Federation’s stated priorities of rebuilding its high-performance structure and reaffirming T&T's competitive presence in elite track cycling. The PanAm Championships are not a routine regional outing—they are the gateway to the international ranking system. Nations that skip the event effectively self-eliminate, giving up Olympic points, athlete seeding, and competitive continuity for an entire cycle. In past years, T&T’s medal-capable riders have relied heavily on PanAms to maintain their international standing. Sports administrators say the ramifications are not subtle. Opting out would derail development pathways, jeopardise sponsor confidence, and potentially push top athletes toward retirement or relocation. “You don’t lose a cycle — you lose momentum, credibility, and maybe even athletes,” one observer noted. The leaked exchange also reflects wider governance concerns that have shadowed the federation in recent seasons: decisions taken without technical grounding, short-term thinking overriding long-term planning, and a recurring pattern of reactive management. In an Olympic sport where qualification requires methodical, multi-year preparation, the idea of voting not to participate in the very first qualifying event struck several Council members as baffling. If the proposal gains traction, T&T would join an exceedingly small group of nations that voluntarily withdraw from Olympic contention—a move that would signal not fiscal prudence or strategic restraint, but a leadership crisis wrapped in the language of “options.” The TTCF has not issued a public statement on the emergency meeting or the status of the vote. Transcript: RW: All in favour of no selection. Question: I just want to point out, no selection means that not sending a team, correct? RW: Correct. Question: If you do not send a team, you cannot go to Worlds. If you don't go to Worlds, that's the first qualification for Olympics. So by not sending a team, basically screws up the Olympic cycle. So that should not even be an option. RW: Well, it is an option.

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗧𝗖𝗙 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀? 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗔𝗠 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀

PORT OF SPAIN — A dispute over the team selection process for the 2026 Pan American Track Cycling Championships has escalated into an emergency intervention by the Trinidad & Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF), following formal letters submitted by cycling stakeholders and concerns raised by a source familiar with the matter.
At issue is the Federation’s decision to stage mandatory national trials on January 17, 2026—only one month before the continental championships in Chile. Under the Federation’s own published selection policy, trials must be held at least 12 weeks prior to any foreign international event, and selections must be finalised within that same window to allow for registration and travel arrangements.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆
According to correspondence reviewed by this newsroom, multiple stakeholders contend that the January trial date violates long-standing TTCF policy, which would have required trials and selections to be completed by late November 2025. They point out that the Federation circulated official notice since June 2025 confirming that the Pan American Championships were shifted to February under updated UCI regulations.
A source familiar with the situation said that internal TTCF reliance on an “annual collaborative planning session” to justify the January date is problematic because such a session does not carry constitutional authority to amend policy.
𝗧𝗧𝗖𝗙 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀: ‘𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼’
In written replies, the Federation acknowledged that trials in January 17 falls outside the required 12-week window. However, officials said the date was “collectively agreed to during a meeting earlier this year” and later “confirmed during a Council meeting”. They added that no objections were raised at the time and that the chosen date was intended to give cyclists “ample preparation time.”
The TTCF has maintained that participation in the January trials remains mandatory for athletes seeking selection.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗧𝗖𝗙’𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
Stakeholders disputed this interpretation, stating that the September planning session referenced by TTCF was not a formal Council meeting and therefore could not legally alter the selection policy. They also noted that qualifying standards were shared only on November 10, despite long standing policy requirements that such standards be issued six months before trials.
Representatives have also argued that it would not have been appropriate for athletes or observers to challenge the announced date during an informal or collaborative meeting, as this could be seen as overstepping their role.
𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆
The correspondence highlights that several TeamTTO cyclists currently rank within the top 30 globally in their respective disciplines, an unusually strong position for the national programme, but one that has persisted for the qualification window for the Chile PanAMs. A source familiar with the matter said stakeholders fear that last-minute trials could disrupt training cycles and undermine medal prospects at the continental event.
Recent international performances from multiple athletes demonstrably meet or exceed the TTCF's own selection standards for continental competitions, strengthening calls to use performance-based selection.
𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱
In response to the growing disagreement, TTCF leadership called a virtual emergency Council meeting to discuss the matter for tonight, Monday 17 November, which should have started at 8pm. The notice did not address the detailed policy-based rebuttals already issued but stated that the issue constituted a “racing matter” requiring urgent attention.
𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀
Based on the policy wording, correspondence and procedural inconsistencies, several potential outcomes appear inevitable.
In one, very likely scenario; TTCF proceeds with the January trials unchanged, risking internal protests or costly legal appeals on the basis of policy breach.
Another, more capitulating alternative is that the Federation uses its discretionary powers—as stakeholders recommend—to select athletes based on objective performance results from recent international competitions.
Outside observers recommend introducing a hybrid approach that combines trials for everyone outside the established target times, with performance-based exemptions for top-ranked athletes.
Another longshot could see the Rowena Williams led Federation attempting retroactive amendment of the policy, which could face procedural legitimacy challenges.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the Federation will face pressure to acknowledge that it had early notice of the February championship date but did not adjust its calendar accordingly. “The question now is whether the oversight is absorbed institutionally or whether athletes bear the cost,” the source said.
𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
The dispute exposes deeper governance challenges within the sport—specifically, the use of informal meetings to make policy decisions, inconsistencies in communication timelines, and the ongoing tension between administrative processes and athlete performance data.
As elite cyclists prepare for the most competitive continental event of the year, stakeholders warn that the outcome of this confrontation will set a lasting precedent: whether TTCF policy is to be strictly upheld or whether deviations can be normalised through informal consensus.Look out for updates after the meeting.
📸Trinidad and Tobago's cyclists compete in the Team Sprint Men Finals Gold race to win the gold medal during the Lima 2019 Pan-American Games in Lima, on August 1, 2019. (Photo by Luis ACOSTA / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)