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Bermuda's Island Games squad has been crippled by the credit crunch with roughly half as many athletes able to compete in the summer showpiece this year.

Just over 100 sportsmen and women will travel to Aland, off the coast of Sweden to compete in the multi-sports event compared with more than 200 at Rhodes 2007.

There will be no football or tennis teams, with the two federations prioritizing the Olympics and Caribbean Games, and women's basketball has been unable to get sponsorship cash together to take part.

Several other athletes have been unable to get the time off work or raise the cash to pay for airfares.

Bermuda will compete in archery, athletics, men's basketball, golf, gymnastics, sailing, shooting and men's and women's volleyball.

Jon Gazzard, general secretary of the Bermuda Island Games Association, said the financial climate was solely to blame for Bermuda's depleted team.

"Unfortunately it is going to be one of the smallest teams we have had. We are a little bit over 100 this time whereas last time we had more than 200.

"It is disappointing and we are just hoping things will have changed by 2013 when we host the tournament.

"It's an unfortunate situation but it is also very understandable in the current climate.

"There are a lot of people that really want to participate but a lot of these sports don't get a lot of assistance from Government so it is self funded or through whatever sponsorship they can raise."

Sponsoring sports stars has dropped down the priority list of local and international businesses since the recession struck, leaving scores of athletes out in the cold.

Lack of funding

The Government has also been forced to make cuts, slashing its sports budget by more than $1.7 million.

But Gazzard said there had been positive signs from the Ministry that sports other than cricket and football would be in line for help.

He added: "This is the reality in today's world but I think things will improve going forward.

"There are a lot of sports gaining recognition without too much funding so perhaps the playing field will be levelled a little bit."

The financial crisis is expected to affect some of Bermuda's opponents as well.

"I think financial centres like Cayman and Bermuda will be affected the most but I would be ignorant if I said it didn't affect everyone," added Gazzard.

Despite the struggles Gazzard is confident of a strong showing from Bermuda in Aland.

"I think we've got some good medal hopes. Women's volleyball has a really strong team right now, men's basketball and gymnastics usually do very well, our swimmers look strong and golf has been another of our better sports in the Island Games over the years."

The squads have been training for the past few months and will travel to Aland for the Games on June 24.[[In-content Ad]]

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