A row between two Croydon heavyweights has broken out after attempts to host a mini-Olympics for children ended in farce for the second time in two years.

In the red corner is former boxer and would-be politician Winston McKenzie who blamed the collapse of his second Croydon Youth Games (CYG) on council bureaucracy, red tape - and the fact that he is black.

In the blue corner stands Croydon Council who branded Mr McKenzie's allegations of town hall hinderance - and racism - as an "absurd" attempt to cover up his own incompetence.

McKenzie comes out swinging

Mr McKenzie claimed: "I've experienced nothing but problems from Croydon Council who refused to back my event. They say they asked me to fill out paperwork months ago but that is not true. I was asked to fill out forms in the eleventh hour and was given a 299-page document two days before the event.

"I have to wonder whether it would have been different if it had been a white man organising the event."

Council counter-attacks

A town hall spokesman said: "The council has gone to enormous lengths, trouble and expense to help the CYG organisers. Any suggestion we have been less than helpful is scurrilous and a smokescreen for his own ineptitude.

"Mr McKenzie's suggestion is so absurd it scarcely warrants the dignity of a response. For the record, we refute unequivocally his ill-judged and totally unsubstantiated allegation. Our concerns have related to the organisers' competence in organising the games - nothing else."

McKenzie battles on

The second CYG went ahead on Sunday - against the advice of the council - but at least four of the sporting activities were cancelled because of poor organisation.

Despite this, Mr McKenzie declared the event a "resounding success" but blamed the cancellation of the fencing, basketball, netball and table tennis categories squarely on the council.

Council fights back with series of jabs.

Council officials have revealed that 48 hours before the event, sports venues were unconfirmed and vital paperwork had not been completed - despite repeated requests since May this year.

It was so concerned that it urged Mr McKenzie to cancel the event on Friday.

This week Steve Halsey, director of environment, cultural and sports services, said: "Dealing with the organisers of these games has been a difficult and time-consuming process that has diverted officers from more important duties.

"I am sure they are well-intentioned people but we really do have to question why they were unable to meet the council's fairly standard requirements for approving these events and protecting the interests of participants.

"Clearly, if something had gone wrong, the council would have been held responsible for negligence and this would have been quite unfair.

"The cycle racing came within an hour of being vetoed because the organisers delayed sending in details that had been requested several weeks beforehand."

He added that had Mr McKenzie and fellow organiser Marianne Bowness completed the necessary paperwork at an early stage the games could have proceeded without a problem.

Mr Halsey said: "Such is our experience this year, and indeed in previous years, that we will seriously consider imposing a charge to cover our expenses if we are faced with proposals from the same people for another games in 2007."

Final round

Mr McKenzie's first attempt to organise the Games in 2004 resulted in numerous events being cancelled without warning, prompting complaints from angry parents of disappointed children, who called it shambolic'.

Judges verdict - split decision