PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Legendary Trinidadian sprinter Ato Boldon believes that if Jamaica doesn’t do extra to help its skilled athletes, it is going to lose them to nations which are keen to supply them profitable contracts to modify allegiance.
His feedback have adopted current stories that 4 of its premier athletes, discus thrower Roje Stona, lengthy jumper Wayne Pinnock, shot putter Rajindra Campbell, and World Beneath-20 triple bounce document holder Jaydon Hibbert, had been within the technique of relocating to Türkiye.
In response to stories, Türkiye is providing a US$500,000 signing bonus, month-to-month stipends, and six-figure incentives for podium finishes at main championships.
Talking throughout an interview on Isports on i95.5 FM on Saturday, the 51-year-old Boldon, a four-time Olympic medalist, mentioned the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Affiliation (JAAA) wanted to discover a answer urgently.
“Their larger drawback now’s that folks have grown so annoyed with how Jamaica helps their professional athletes that they’re dropping all these athletes to Turkey.
“If you see what Turkey is providing, you notice that it’s not going to be a 2025 drawback; it’s going to be an ‘it began in 2025 drawback,’” Boldon mentioned.
“So now a rustic like Türkiye, and don’t neglect there are different nations which have a historical past like Bahrain and others, however there are different nations who that’s their nationwide coverage, so Jamaica has different issues on the horizon.”
Boldon mentioned that whereas he didn’t imagine the scenario was “an emergency” for Jamaica simply but, he acknowledged that Jamaica wanted to deal with its skilled athletes higher.
He defined that whereas it was the norm for athletes to modify allegiances, Jamaica may ailing afford to lose its world-class athletes due to its smaller pool.
“I don’t assume it’s an emergency for Jamaica but, however I do know they’re already having conferences about it, and it’s one thing that must be addressed. They will need to get the personal sector to come back and possibly create a fund for his or her athletes as a result of that is the period of NIL [name, image, and likeness].
“These youngsters usually are not like us. They don’t imagine that they need to be broke whereas everybody else round us is wealthy. So, these youngsters are trying round and going, ‘If Jamaica doesn’t care sufficient to assist me as an athlete successful medals for them, then possibly this one-way allegiance and assist is for the birds, ‘” Boldon mentioned.
“The reality is that there are tons of athletes from America who’re working for Liberia and different nations now, and there are tons of Individuals who’ve modified allegiance to Nigeria.
“So, the reality is that if 4 Jamaicans switched, that’s an emergency in Jamaica, however it’s not an emergency to the IOC or World Athletics,” he added.
