BCA AWARDS CEREMONY HELD LAST SATURDAY

by David Harris

There are no shortcuts to excellence Adrian Lorde president of the Barbados Anti-Doping Commission told attendees at the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) 2026 Annual Awards Ceremony at the Needhams Ballroom, Hilton Barbados Resort on Saturday night. 

Delivering the feature address before an audience that included The Most Honourable Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic President of Barbados, the great West Indies openers Sir Gordon Greenidge, and The Most Honourable Desmond Haynes.  

  Lorde said the greatest cricketers understood that lasting success is built on hard, and consistency; and when pride drives performance, it leads to progress. 

“Progress is not only measured in trophies and records, but in terms of growth. Growth as in cricket players, growth as teams- but most of all growth as individuals. It is seen when you perform better than you did yesterday. When you become stronger from any setback or defeat when you inspire others to follow in your footsteps. You are as good as your last innings or bowling spell. Progress also means raising the standard of sport; promoting fairness, and rejecting illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, anabiotic steroids, and protecting the integrity of competition- because the future of your sport depends on your values”, Lorde said. 

The veteran sports administrator who is a long-standing director of the Barbados Olympic Association Inc said athletes should not allow money to compromise their values and alluded to the Enhance Games which is scheduled to take place later this year in Las Vegas. 

“Recently many of you would have heard my views on the Enhance Games where athletes are permitted to use performance enhancing drugs without any testing, and there are significant financial rewards and incentives being offered- but we must ask at what cost. How is it going to affect us in the future”? Lorde asked. 

    “We cannot allow money to tempt us into compromising our values. Such action sends the wrong message to the sporting world, and the next generation. Clean sports matter- Isay especially to our young cricketer players; to our coaches, support staff, parents and officials, play fair. Do not cheat. There are no true shortcuts to success – fair play matters”, he added. 

Meanwhile president of the BCA Calvin Hope called on the various sectors of the Barbadian society to assist with the growth of the game in the country. 

“At this juncture our infrastructure and organisational structure are good, but we have challenges to overcome. Our cricket market demands support, with financial resources required for the upkeep of our clubs. I am calling on all across this nation to join the BCA either as a member of a club, and if you are not presently a member of a club, please join one of your choice”, Hope said. 

West Indies all-rounder Matthew Forde captured the President’s Award; and batsman Marradon Bend of Spartan Club and female Keila Elliot won awards for being the Most Outstanding Male and Female Cricketers for 2026.