President of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, Drumeco Archer, has hit out at the Bahamas Olympic Committee’s decision to deny Lacarthea Cooper a chance to compete at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

Cooper, a student at New Mexico Junior College, was originally a part of the BAAA’s recommended list of athletes to go to Paris, according to Archer, but was removed by the BOC in favor of Shania Adderley.

The 20-year-old Cooper placed third in the 400m final at the Bahamian National Championships in Nassau on June 28 while Adderley, 16, finished fifth.

The rationale given by BOC President, Romell Knowles, at the team’s naming ceremony on Wednesday was that Adderley was a member of the country’s Mixed 4x400m relay team that qualified for the Olympics through the IAAF World Relays in May.

For Cooper, this is her second time being denied an opportunity to compete on the sport’s highest stage.

She finished third in the 200m at the Bahamian Championships back in 2021 but missed out on an Olympic berth due to COVID-19.

“Lacarthea, who is no stranger to our sport and who placed third at in the nationals, has demonstrated consistent excellence and was previously denied the opportunity to compete in the 2021 Olympics due to Covid-19,” Archer said in a statement on Thursday.

“Denying her a second opportunity, undeservedly, would be unfair and contrary to our selection principles. Despite our efforts to engage in discussions with the BOC and to seek common ground, decisions were made without our full agreement,” he added.

Cooper has since been invited to travel with the team but will not compete.