athletics, are refusing to sanction a new junior event on the road race calendar.

And BTFA president Judy Simmons is refusing to explain why.

Asked yesterday why they wouldn't throw their support behind this Sunday's inaugural Princess to Princess Junior Race, Simmons said: "I am not going to comment on that.'' She did, however, confirm that the Association had also refused to sanction another race, the popular Butterfield and Vallis 5K, which has been organised for several years by the Bermuda Union of Teachers and is scheduled this year for February 4.

"The calendar was decided in July and that race was not put forward,'' explained Simmons. "That's all I can say about that.'' It's understood that the 5K will still go ahead as will this Sunday's junior race which has been organised in conjunction with the senior Princess to Princess Race, now in its 24th year.

Traditionally one of the biggest fund-raisers for the BTFA, the Princess race is organised by Mid Atlantic Athletic Club (MAAC) whose relationship with the governing body has not always been cordial.

Newton Adcock, the Princess race director, admitted he was baffled as to why the BTFA were refusing to sanction Sunday's junior event.

"When I first heard this, I felt shattered,'' he said. "I've put so much time and effort into this race.

"The Princess Hotel asked me how we could make the event bigger and better.

And I suggested the quickest way was to add a junior race. They said `go with it.' "But when we talk about doing things for the youth of this country and you get shot down, you wonder whether it's all worthwhile.

"We were doing it for the good of the youth of Bermuda and we've met a stumbling block in the form of the governing body. I can't understand it.'' On learning that the new race would need sanction from the BTFA despite the fact that it was being run in conjunction with an event which had received the Association's blessing for more than 20 years, Adcock reportedly wrote a letter of apology and asked whether they would reconsider.

However, it's understood at a BTFA executive committee meeting, a decision was taken not to endorse the race.

Normally, athletes who take part in races not sanctioned by the governing body run the risk of being banned from future events.

However, MAAC will avoid this threat by now making Sunday's junior run a club-only event. All entrants will automatically be made MAAC members.

"We're making them members of the club for the race and it will be a club race only. You don't need sanction for a club race,'' said Adcock.

It's understood MAAC even considered taking the same route for the main event which would have denied the BTFA hundreds of dollars in fees.

The junior run, over three kilometres from Heron Bay Market Place to the Whaler Inn car park, was due to be added to the popular KPMG Junior Running Series, now in its third year.

But without BTFA backing, KPMG may be forced to drop it from their programme.

Other races include the KPMG Junior Race on January 28, Round the Town on February 11, MRM on March 4 and 1500 and 3,000 metres races during the Pacers track meet on April 21.