Swimming coach Paul du Feu has withdrawn from the Jeux des Iles

ISLAND swimming coach Paul du Feu has withdrawn from this year’s Jeux des Iles trip because of a dispute over attending the opening ceremony.

The AIB Tigers Swimming Club stalwart does not believe that swimmers should attend the display to mark the official start of the Azores Games, which run from 26-29 May, as it is not scheduled to finish until 10.30 pm. He thinks it is too late a finish the night before the first of three days’ swimming competition.

He will be replaced by Jersey Swimming Club coach Keiron Bowbrick who joins Jackie Huelin from the Jersey Amateur Swimming Association on the trip.

Jersey team manager Hugh Raymond recognised Mr du Feu’s concerns but said that it was partly about being courteous to the hosts. ‘The Azores invited us to the competition, and pay money for us to be there, so it’s also about being courteous to the host island. If we pull the swimmers out then what about the other sports, as we have tennis players starting at 8 am too?

‘It is too late for us to do anything about it this year but I am more than happy to take this forward. What this has done is highlight a serious point which I will bring up at the meeting of all the islands of the Jeux des Iles organisation in the Azores on 28 May.’