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JOA President Samuda calls for ‘complete overhaul’ of NSC - Athletes switch allegiance to Türkiye; body chastised as being inefficient
June 23, 2025
WESTERN BUREAU:
President of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Christopher Samuda, has expressed an understanding of the "very unfortunate", but realistic circumstances faced by Jamaican athletes who make the decision to switch allegiance and compete for another country.
His comments come amid growing controversy over the defection of several top Jamaican athletes to Turkiye.
While the JOA provides consistent, though limited support, Samuda points to a deeper structural issue within the national sports framework to address athletes' livelihood.
He called for a complete overhaul of the National Sports Council (NSC), the body responsible for policymaking, funding, and infrastructure development in Jamaican sport.
"The National Sports Council needs to be reorganised," Samuda insisted. "It is the policy-making and administrative arm that should implement investments and initiatives to benefit our athletes."
He criticised the NSC's ineffectiveness over the past eight years, arguing that athletes continue to fall through the cracks of a system that praises them on podiums but fails them in practice.
"The NSC has been idle while our athletes, who wear the black, green and gold with pride are left to fend for themselves," he said.
"For many, seeking new national colours is not about disloyalty, it's about survival."
Ӱ of elite male field event athletes turning their backs on Jamaica to compete for Turkiye, has sent shockwaves through the nation.
According to World Athletics regulations, athletes who change their national allegiance are typically subject to a mandatory three-year waiting period. However, this can be waived if both national federations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approve the transfer.
REALITY OF SPORT
"It is very unfortunate, but that is the reality of sport in Jamaica," Samuda told STAR Sports during a visit to Montego Bay, St James, over the weekend.
Triple jump junior world record holder Jaydon Hibbert recently became the third decorated Jamaican athlete to confirm a switch to Turkiye.
He joins Olympic gold medallist Roje Stona, who made history as Jamaica's first-ever Olympic champion in a throwing event, with an Olympic record at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Rajindra Campbell, a bronze medallist in the men's shot put at Paris 2024.
Stona and Campbell have reportedly signed lucrative contracts that include a US$500,000 signing bonus, monthly stipends, and six-figure performance bonuses for podium finishes at World and Olympic Games.
Another Jamaican standout Wayne Pinnock, an Olympic and World Championship silver medallist, is also reportedly being courted by Turkish athletics officials, though his switch has not yet been finalised.
"I am very disappointed that our gold and bronze medallists could not get the financial support they deserve," Samuda stated. "We cannot deny them the right to make decisions based on their circumstances. They have daily responsibilities, families, and the sporting life is short. We must understand their choice."
