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Former West Indies batting coach Toby Radford has expressed concern that Cricket West Indies' (CWI) current system of allowing for medical exemptions for some players could present the illusion of unfairness.

The debate has continued to rage around the selection of the squad after the selection panel was unable to even considered some players for the World Cup squad after they had reportedly not made the requisite CWI fitness standard.

Among that crown were batsman Sherfane Rutherford, promising fast bowler Odean Smith and spinner Sunil Narine. With that considered, for some, the selection of players like Chris Gayle and Ravi Rampaul proved problematic, but both players were given exemptions by the CWI’s medical committee.

“You have to be seen to be fair across the board.  Either everybody does it (meet fitness standard) or nobody does it,” Radford told the Mason and Guest radio program.

Read more at SportsMax

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You don't need a brain to figure this out Toby .......

In reply to Kay

He is calling it an illusion....de skunt believes its is fair

Medical exemption if over used is unfair, but also disqualifying players for Fitness reasons appears to be unfair when there is no evidence of Fitness impairment, examples, Rutherford, Odean Smith.

In reply to dayne

Roland Butcher stated a couple evenings on The Mason and Guest show, that Rutherford has never taken a fitness test,
Maybe that's the reason for him not selected

In reply to openning

How is this possible when he played 6 T20I for the West Indies? I thought all players were supposed to pass a fitness test before International tournaments. Was he previously given exemptions?

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Justice done ...at time not enough... Justice deem to be done , important...I agree with you Toby....

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Present regime... from administration, selectors to team management and certain sections of players all very closely knit unit..,.protecting and indemnifying each other....Did Naríne express his intention to return to international cricket?.....the answer is big No....... he is still scrutinized for pelting....just the other day, he was charged of pelting out Iyer in IPL......Mr Harper, protecting Naríne ,by announcing unfit Naríne was not selected

In reply to openning

Guyanese poster anthonyp has stated that Rutherford HAS taken fitness tests and never passed any ot them.

But all of a sudden, everybody feel he could pass one now because he might “look” fit. But the same token, Rampaul might not “look fit” to some but he gets selected so dem vex and cow bawlin all over de message board

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
I agree with the statement that either everybody must meet the fitness standard or nobody does it. Too much CWI election politics involved with the medical exemption policy. And then there is the selectors playing us for fools by saying that Rutherford failed a fitness test and giving the impression that he had done a fitness test just prior to or during the CPL.

In reply to Walco

Allyuh really naive yes.

Why do senior players get paid more than junior players? Should everyone get paid the same?

How about perks? Why does the captain get to travel first class while everybody else in coach?

You think Tom Brady has the same fitness requirements as his wide receivers and running backs??

What about the offensive and defensive lines? They have same fitness standards as corner backs? They run the 40 in less than 4.5 seconds?

There are, have been, and always will be exceptions and inequities in sport. And it’s not a bad thing.

Everyone is trying to win and play the team that gives them the best chance to do so. You can agree or disagree with selections and mount your morality high horse about equal standards and requirements all you want. Won’t change anything.

In reply to imusic
Isn't there a difference between a minimum fitness standard for consideration to team selection and one for positions - ie fast bowler or fast bowling alrounder verus a spinner? In any case is American football a good example compared to cricket as opposed to baseball or basketball?

It seems you are being naïve, mischievous or as is the norm these days - spinning alternative facts (all puns intended

In reply to imusic

Where you get that nonsense from? That is no longer the case, if it ever was.


The captain getting a higher salary is because he is carrying more responsibility

Is CWI treating ageing and being overweight as ailments that can be dealt with thru medical exemptions?

In reply to armchair

Does CC Sabathia have the same fitness standards as Getritt Cole?

Does a DH have the same fitness standards as a shortstop?

Does a 1st baseman have the same fitness standards as a 2nd baseman?

Does Nikola Jokic have the same fitness standards as Jamal Murray?

Keep going

Come again. The test is for the minimum acceptable standard...not individual standards based on position or function.

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

The point is….inequities in testing and exemptions happen all the time in professional sport.

Fans being upset because their player hasn’t been selected not going to change that, or fans level of angst

The irony is some of the ones making the most noise are the ones that dismiss T20 cricket as lickit cricket and not real cricket, but all of a sudden, they’re experts in T20 team composition.

In reply to imusic

Clearly you find no fault in the selections.


And yes nothing will change, but that does not mean people can't express their opinions.

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

The title of this thread and subsequent posts deal with medical exemptions and the “unfairness” of them.

I have zero issue with any medical exemptions. As I said, it happens all the time in professional sport.

As for speaking ones mind, I have already stated I disagree with some of the selections…..but also defer to the selectors who are infinitely more qualified than me to determine who gets selected.

Me disagreeing doesn’t change a thing. I also don’t go on and on, multiple times a day, every day, expressing that disagreement.

In reply to imusic
What Fuzzy said.

Also, if this site implemented a policy that we are not able to post about things we cannot change, Admin and Wackie would be forced to shut down the site

In reply to imusic

But imusic just because they exist does not mean it is fair. And yes things are not always fair but we should make strides in that direction.

Because this is not IPL.