Watts has Melbourne dream cruelly ended

MARTIN WATTS' Common-wealth Games dreams have been destroyed. The 27-year-old moved to the island from the UK four months ago to take up the role as the island's assistant director of squash and as the former Essex number two, he was selected for Guernsey's team to go to the Melbourne Games in March.

But in a cruel twist of fate, the Commonwealth Games Federation informed the Guernsey authorities earlier this week that the World Squash Federation would not allow Watts to represent Guernsey, as he has lived here for less than four years.

Watts had started intensive training for the Games when his selection was announced in early December and is now devastated by the development.

'I'm really gutted,' he said.

'The worse thing is that they told me I was going and now, a month later, they tell me I'm not. I started training as soon as I heard.

'It would have been the biggest thing I would have been through and, through no fault of my own, they have taken it away from me. Unfortunately, I'm playing the best I ever have at the moment. '

Watts was due to enter the singles competition and partner Guernsey's professional star Chris Simpson in the doubles.

They had planned to travel to Hampshire later this month to practise in specifically-designed doubles courts.

Watts' initial inclusion did raise some eyebrows as he had been here for only a short amount of time, but he is surprised that the Guernsey Commonwealth Games Association had not checked with the WSF as to whether he was able to go.

'I would have thought that someone would have looked into whether I was eligible,' said Watts.

'They should have looked into it before they told me I was going. The council have been really good about it, though, but I think they are tied by their constitution.

'At the end of the day, World Squash have turned round and said four years to us. They have also denied us the right to appeal.'

Guernsey's squash team manager, Peter Bridgeman is also dismayed by the ruling that was not used to prevent previous island directors of squash Mark Allen and Gareth Webber, going to the Games under the flag of Guernsey.

'It should never have happened,' said Bridgeman.

'If this had been known earlier then he would never have been put forward. It's not the fault of the selectors.

'They should have been made aware of the rules. But why has the rule come in now?

'If that was the case then Mark Allen and Gareth Webber should never have gone to the Commonwealth Games.

'Someone has brought this about. How else would the World Squash Federa-tion know about it? I want to know who it was.'

The GCGA chairman, Peter Sirett, outlined the ruling behind the decision.

'During the selection process the local association discussed the matter of residency at some length and believed that under its current constitution and the CGF regulations Watts was eligible to participate,' he said.

'However, sports at the Games are run under the control of the world governing body of those sports and the CGF established that the World Squash Federation requires a residency period of four years before a person can represent a country other than the country of his, or his parents, birth.

'The opportunities for an appeal were investigated thoroughly by officers of the GCGA but the CGF was not prepared to consider dispensation in this instance, as the period of residency was so short when compared to the requirement of the squash governing body.

'The GCGA regrets the disappointment that has been caused to the player but stresses that the ultimate decision on who represents a country at a Commonwealth Games rests with the Commonwealth Games Federation.'