One of Bermuda's most respected athletics coaches, Steve Burgess, has suggested the sport's continuing problems be aired at a public inquiry involving the Sports Ministry.

In the wake of the latest controversy - a stand-off between Bermuda Track and Field Association and the Mid-Island Striders over national programme athletes taking part in an educational tour of the US - Burgess says the time is now ripe for all of those involved in the sport to sit down and resolve their differences.

The former University of Georgia track star and Bermuda record holder, who went on to work as a coach at that same university with such greats as Herschel Walker and Gwen Torrance, confessed he was only drawn into the latest row after his qualifications as an IAAF coach were brought into question by BTFA director Annette Hallett in an article in yesterday's Royal Gazette (see separate story this page).

Normally the quiet man of local athletics, Burgess said he felt compelled to speak out because so many of the Island's athletes were missing out on potential scholarships overseas.

"Maybe this is the time for a public inquiry," he said. "I've always maintained I would stand by what I believed in, which was getting the kids the best training and the best education they could have.

"This crossroads we are now at brings a lot of issues to the forefront, and they need to be discussed.

"We need a forum with a non-biased individual to mediate, somebody who could listen to both sides of the table. Let's involve the Ministry of Sports, all the clubs, the BTFA, it has to be a collective effort."

Burgess will fly out to Pennsylvania today to join Striders head coach Bill Euler, his assistant Renelda Bean, two other coaches and five athletes as they visit a number of colleges and universities and witness this weekend's prestigious Penn Relays.

Striders claim they were prevented from taking with them national squad athletes Zindzi Swan, Shardae Whitter, Tiffany Eatherley and Brittany Marshall after national coach Gerry Swan told the youngsters they might be axed from the programme if they travelled with the club.

However, BTFA director Hallett said that was not the case and there was nothing to stop the athletes from going, providing it was an educational tour only and the runners did not compete.

"I was sitting on the sidelines, watching the track and field development from a perspective of not being involved as has been the case in the past," said Burgess.

"I personally have gone through many situations where I had my athletes left out of the national team programme even though they were exceptionally talented. But I never gave up the fight.

"One of the goals that I always had, which Bill Euler seems to be bringing to the table, was putting education and scholarships first.

"I've had numerous athletes come through my programmes and received scholarships. And what's interesting now is that they are working back in Bermuda as lawyers, accountants, teachers etc. It shows track and field can provide an avenue for success.

"This latest situation has got very personal. It's just unfortunate that the kids are the ones who suffer."

Burgess recalled that he began to take local athletes to the Penn Relays in 1991 on the same premise on which coach Euler has built his programme.

"I would meet with various coaches," he said. "I had an athlete, Keena Trott . . . her scholarship was secured in ten minutes, She received a $20,000 scholarship to Northern Arizona.

"But often it's a case of our athletes being isolated here in Bermuda and coaches not knowing the talent exists.

"One of the things we have to realise is that as successful as we are in "One of the things we have to realise is that, as successful as we are in Bermuda, a lot of coaches don't know anything about our athletes, so we have to give them exposure overseas.

"At the Penn Relays this week you'll have some 20 high school students from Jamaica looking for scholarships. You'll also have Puerto Rico, Cayman, Trinidad, Bahamas . . . these countries will be searching for opportunities for their children.

"The fact that we won't be represented hurts me personally.

"You cannot sit back here and think they will come to us. Yes, the CARIFTA Games are great, but that's just one avenue. You have to look at all the possible avenues.

"The clubs here have to have a working relationship with the governing body. The BTFA are standing by this issue of sanctioning. But you've got to look at the bigger picture. We've got to get to the big meets, we've got to meet with the coaches, we've got to get the talent we have here exposed."

Burgess said he believed the latest controversy was handled badly.

"Let's not write a letter and say `no, they can't go.' Let's try and work it out. Let's communicate. Let's not penalise the young athletes.

"The alternative is that some of these athletes end up sitting on walls and don't do anything, and suddenly we've lost them forever, they don't come back.

"You've also got to remember we're competing with other sports.

"I've had the pleasure of working with some talented athletes who have gone on to other sports . . . Tyler Butterfield, Jon Herring, Adam Petty, Kris Hedges, all those guys I had in track at one time.

"To see how Kris has developed in cycling is phenomenal for me. Tyler's talent, of course, speaks for itself. These were individuals, unfortunately in Tyler's case, who were penalised because they trained with me.

"Athletes have been penalised for training with coaches outside the national programme. And that's wrong."