One of the backbones of local tennis was last night rethinking her involvement in the sport after being accused of discriminatory remarks by a well-known player.

Stunned by Sam Maybury?s comments at the Coral Beach Invitational, Marge Way ? the organiser of countless tournaments in the past 30 years ? is considering quitting her administrative role.

?I?ve put millons of hours into this, all my life. Maybe I?ll have to get out and stop doing it. I?ve always enjoyed doing what I do but this is very hurtful and, really, when you get older you don?t want to be embroiled in this kind of stuff,? said a tearful Way.

The brouhaha stems from what, by eyewitness accounts, appeared to be some friendly banter between Way and dreadlocked Maybury on Saturday during the ongoing tournament. The two were discussing Maybury?s hairstyle and attire after which he complained to a member of the media that tournament officials were making slurs about his hair. The reporter then approached Way regarding the allegation.

?My reaction was shock and I said ?Oh my God, let?s find Sam?,? recalled Way who confronted Maybury in the parking lot and asked him ?what was going on??.

Speaking on radio yesterday, Maybury charged tournament organisers with repeatedly making discriminatory statements about his dreadlocks.

?It may seem something frivolous but this is my choice . . . and from a constitutional perspective I do have freedom of expression . . . and all people have that same right.

?I?m sick and tired of it because there are many other people who are affected by this. For every tournament I exercise my peace and tolerance to stay in the game and to show my class,? he said.

Way ? the matriarch of one of the Island?s leading tennis families ? noted that when she questioned Maybury about what he said to the media he replied ?it?s nothing personal? and that he knows she is not racist because she has been like a mother to him and he can always call upon her for assistance.

Nevertheless, the 67-year-old apologised for anything that might have offended Maybury.

?I said ?Sam if I did anything to hurt you I apologise. I didn?t think I did anything wrong but if I did I am sorry?.

?I?ve known Sam (for) over 30 years and I think of him as one of my kids. I didn?t even think black and white and maybe that?s my problem.

?I don?t care whether Sam has locks or what he does. I don?t deny I said someday I?d love to shave it all off and see the old Sam Maybury. I was joking with him ? completely ? and he was joking back with me.

?I don?t understand why all this now.?

Joe Brown, who is covering the tournament for , also expressed surprise at the turn of events given what he described as a long-standing camaraderie between Way and Maybury. He corroborated Way?s version of what occurred and lamented Maybury?s handling of the matter.

?If he had some concern about the way he was being addressed he should say ?Mrs. Way I don?t appreciate that you have disrespected my heritage? but don?t talk to me to my face and then go behind my back and say something totally different to the media.

?For something like this to come out now, where he is on the radio complaining about tournament organisers, this just bothers people.?