President Gayle deflects athletes’ claim of JAAA inaction in getting sport restarted
Within the last week pressure has mounted on the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) from senior athletes who are of the view that not enough is being done to get the sport back up and running on the island.
Local-based athletes have had to watch their counterparts that are based in the United States, as well as their rivals all over the world race, jump and throw, week after week since the start of the year at track and field meets, even while their training remains under restrictions here in Jamaica.
The Japanese government and World Athletics, have both given firm commitment that the Olympic Games which were postponed from last year, will be held in Japan this summer, which means that local based athletes are well behind everyone else involved in the sport.
World and Olympic Champion Shelly-ann Fraserpryce, in a recent social media post, went to bat for the resumption of track and field meets for local based athletes who are unable to travel overseas for meets, especially with the issue of long quarantine periods to contend with.
But in a letter addressed to the athletes on Friday, the JAAA President Garth Gayle said that his organisation has been doing all that they could to get track and field restarted in the country and are now awaiting word from the Ministry of Local Government, who has been given the authority by the Prime Minister under the Disaster Risk Management Order, to grant permission to do so.
Gayle outlined the seven things that the JAAA has done in the past few months to ensure the resumption of the sport, including, partnering with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to train 630 persons as Covid-19 Protocol Marshals, hosting sensitisation sessions with coaches, team managers and athletes, regarding Covid-19 infection methods and controls.
They have also hosted Zoom sessions with meet organisers, meet managers and technical officials on infection methods and procedures. Additionally, JAAA has developed and distributed a guide for meet organisers and a team manual for competitions during Covid-19.
The JAAA has also sought approval to host what they call the “JAAA Qualification Series” across nine venues islandwide. They are currently awaiting approval for these events which are designed to give athletes the opportunity to meet qualification standards for local and international championships.
Gayle is confident that the proposal sent to the government is a solid one, noting that it has been adopted as a template by regional bodies.
“The strength of our proposal is also highlighted in the fact that the documentation was shared with member federations in the NACAC region and many have adopted it for their own operations,” he said.
Gayle underlined the JAAA’S commitment to the safety of the athletes even as they try to restore track and field in Jamaica.
“As you will realise, we are committed to your health and safety and to the Government’s desire to minimise the spread of COVID-19 in Jamaica. We believe that the measures that we have taken are sufficient for the approval to be granted. Upon resumption, your compliance will be key to the success of our efforts and we know you will play your part. We continue to press for a response from the authorities so that we can have opportunities for you to compete,” he noted.
The JAAA president also encouraged the athletes to continue to train in a safe way, even as they await the opportunity to compete once more.
“We implore you to continue to train towards your goals and at the same time be sure to follow all the guidelines for mask wearing, social distancing and hand hygiene,” he said.
The time senior athletes competed in Jamaica was when a series called Velocity Fest was staged by MVP Track Club at Jamaica College and the National Stadium last summer.