Chris Binnie
When Chris Binnie won his 10th Caribbean Senior Squash singles title last week, it felt a little more special than the nine others he had won. When the 33-year-old Jamaican dispatched Khamal Cumberbatch of Barbados 14-12, 11-5, 11-5 to win the 2022 title, it was the first time he was winning a singles title on home soil.
It is a feeling he will not forget.
“This is definitely up there for me because I haven’t won a title in Jamaica at the Caribbean level. I have always been winning them abroad,” he told Sportsmax.TV following his record-extending victory.
“All those times I had crowds cheering against me, my followers have just been watching through screens, so it’s great to actually win one here and to have the home support not matter what else was going on, they were so loud and getting behind me. It was great.
“I was super-excited about winning this 10th title. I am just grateful to everyone and this great support system I’ve had throughout the years to actually get 10 titles. It’s been a long journey. When you start, you just think about winning one at a time and then all of a sudden as the years have gone on they have just accumulated so being able to show up every year, play at a high level still I am just thankful for all of that.”
That said, Binnie revealed that playing at home did not make it any easier as the quality of his opponents has been consistent over the years.
“Every year it’s difficult. I don’t think this was any different. You have players who come through always ready to challenge you, ready to keep you on your toes and so,” he said.
“I was always ready. I was getting ready to play, getting ready to win and treat every game as if it was difficult and as a result, I was prepared and ready to get some good results.”
His opponents were tough from the get-go and it speaks to the depth of talent across the region.
“From the quarter-finals on, there were always difficult matches. Playing Chase McQuan from Trinidad and Tobago, a very good player; Alex Arjoon from Guyana in the semis and Khamal Cumberbatch from Barbados in the final, it shows that there is talent all over the Caribbean,” he said.
“In each of those matches, I had to do different things to win. I was happy to get through them.
“This is a strong region. We missed a couple of players this year due to different things but this was like a stronger semis of players that you would get. We continue to see young players come through like Khamal. He is one to watch for the future. I just hope I can hold him off for another year.”
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Ashley Khalil celebrates triple gold at Caribbean Squash Championships in Guyana
Guyana’s squash sensation, Ashley Khalil, is celebrating an extraordinary achievement after winning three gold medals at the 2024 ENet Senior Caribbean Squash Championships, held in her home country from August 18-24. Khalil’s remarkable performance highlighted her dominance in the sport as she claimed top honors in the Women’s Doubles, Women’s Team, and Overall Team events.
Expressing her joy and gratitude on social media, Khalil shared her excitement about the triple success. “I’m thrilled to share that the 2024 ENet Senior Caribbean Squash Championships have concluded, and I’m honoured to have won three Gold Medals!” she wrote, celebrating her victories in front of her home crowd.
Khalil, who has become a household name in Caribbean squash, gave special thanks to her doubles partner and sister, Ashley deGroot-Khalil, with whom she secured a third consecutive gold in the Women’s Doubles event. The duo's synergy on the court has made them a formidable team, and their latest triumph solidified their status as the best in the region.
“I’m also grateful to my amazing teammates—Mary Fung-a-Fat, Larissa Wiltshire, Akeila Wiltshire, and Kirsten Gomes—and the entire Guyana contingent,” Khalil continued. Their collective efforts ensured that Guyana stood out as the top team in the tournament, bringing home the Overall Team gold as well.
The championships were not just a personal triumph for Khalil but also a proud moment for Guyana. She took the opportunity to acknowledge the support that made it all possible, giving a “huge shoutout” to the event’s sponsors—ENet, Discover Guyana, ExxonMobil Guyana, KFC Guyana, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport—as well as the dedicated physiotherapists and fans who cheered them on.
Beyond the medals, Khalil emphasized the importance of the relationships she has built through the sport, particularly with her fellow competitors. “It’s always a joy to reconnect with my CASA friends, who have truly become like family over the years. The camaraderie and support within our community make this tournament even more special,” she said, highlighting the unique bond shared among athletes in the Caribbean Squash Association.
As Ashley Khalil basks in the glory of her latest achievements, she looks ahead to even more victories on the horizon, with her eyes set on further cementing her legacy in Caribbean squash.
“Here’s to celebrating this achievement and looking forward to even more victories ahead,” she concluded, with love and pride for her country, Guyana.
Attorneys clash over virtual hearing decision in Julian Morrison doping case
The legal battle surrounding Jamaican squash player Julian Morrison has taken a contentious turn as his attorneys, Matthew Gayle and Dr. Emir Crowne of New City Chambers, are at odds with the Independent Anti-Doping Panel (IADP) over its decision to hold the upcoming hearing virtually. The dispute arose after Morrison’s legal team, who had planned to attend the hearing in person, was informed at the last minute that the proceedings set for September 3 and 4, would be conducted via Zoom.
Morrison, who was provisionally suspended by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) in April after testing positive for trace amounts of the banned anabolic agent Boldenone, has been eagerly awaiting the chance to clear his name. His legal team has argued that Morrison unknowingly ingested the substance and is determined to prove his innocence.
Matthew Gayle expressed his frustration with the IADP’s unilateral decision to conduct the hearing virtually, especially given the substantial expenses incurred by the athlete for his legal team to travel to Jamaica.
“My personal opinion is that the unilateral decision by the Independent Panel to hold this hearing, a substantive hearing by virtual means, made at the 11th hour, and without any consultation with the parties, offends every sense of justice of the matter," Gayle said. "In particular, Dr. Crowne and I indicated that we were in the midst of making travel arrangements some two weeks ago, and this was communicated to the panel."
He continued, “Since then, the athlete has expended significant funds for us to travel to Jamaica in order to represent him in person, only to find out less than a week before we travel that the hearing is to be held by Zoom. This is in the context of there has been very little, if any, movement in bringing this matter to a head since April. It reeks of bureaucratic inefficiency. I just hope that the athlete is able to get a fair hearing. At the end of the day, this athlete has been on provisional suspension for a significant period, and the case is yet to be heard, yet to be proven.”
The situation escalated further when Sportsmax.TV obtained copies of the correspondence between Morrison’s representatives and Christine Minto, chairperson of the IADP. In the emails, Morrison’s legal team expressed their surprise and disappointment at the decision to hold the hearing virtually, especially after making it clear on multiple occasions that they intended to be present in Jamaica for the hearing.
“We are very surprised to learn that the choice of online forum for the hearing is on account of the athlete's representatives living/working out of the country. The experts appearing virtually is also a surprising rationale, since by that account there would rarely be an in-person hearing," the correspondence read.
The attorneys emphasized that their plans to attend in person had been communicated clearly, both verbally and in writing, yet the decision to go virtual was made without their input.
In response, Minto defended the Panel’s decision, stating that the hearing had been conducted virtually from the start and that it should not have been unexpected that it would continue in the same manner. She pointed out that the athlete’s representatives did not specifically request an in-person hearing early enough and suggested that their decision to book accommodations in Jamaica was based on their preference to be in the same room as their client during the virtual hearing.
“This matter has been conducted virtually since the commencement of the hearing process. We have had at least four hearing dates so far, virtually. Therefore, it ought not to have taken anyone by surprise that the hearing will be continuing and concluding virtually," Minto explained.
She added, "A specific application ought to have been made for an in-person hearing by the athlete. Perhaps at the same time, as the application for a public hearing. It was certainly neither clear to us nor unequivocal that the athlete desired an in-person hearing. Further, the importance of the athlete’s evidence is not diminished or undermined if it is taken virtually.”
As the dispute over the hearing format continues, the focus remains on ensuring that Julian Morrison receives a fair trial and that the case, which has been pending for several months, reaches a timely conclusion.
Anti-doping hearing for Jamaican squash champion Julian Morrison set for September 3-4
The dates for the substantive anti-doping hearing for Jamaica’s national squash champion Julian Morrison have been set with his fate to be decided by an Independent Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel on September 3-4.
The dates for the substantive hearing were set during an initial hearing featuring the representatives of both Morrison and the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) on Thursday afternoon.
Morrison is challenging the provisional suspension imposed by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) after testing positive for trace amounts of Boldenone, a banned anabolic agent.
The suspension came following an out-of-competition test conducted on January 18th, 2024, where Morrison's results showed the presence of Boldenone in his system.
However, Morrison and his representatives strongly assert that the substance entered his body inadvertently, likely through contamination.
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