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NO-SHOW PUZZLE
Asafa's absence still dubious after press conference
By Howard Walker, Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Yesterday's hastily called press conference by the University of Technology (UTech) and MVP Track Club to explain Asafa Powell's absence from last Saturday's UTech Classic was an exercise in futility.
Speculations were rife over the sprinter's no-show, but after yesterday's press meeting no one was closer to the real reason for the athlete's eleventh-hour withdrawal which disappointed thousands of drooling fans.
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| MVP Club president Bruce James (seated, centre) speaks at a press briefing at the University of Technology yesterday. Looking on (from left) are UTech's Director of Sports Anthony Davis, Director of Advancement Hector Wheeler and assistant coach of MVP, Paul Francis. (Photo: Bryan Cummings) |
Powell - a former 100m world record holder who was scheduled to run the 200 metres and 4x100m relay for local club MVP at the annual meet - failed to show, which triggered speculations as there was no immediate explanation from his handlers.
A prepared statement by coach Stephen Francis and comments from MVP president Bruce James at the briefing failed to provide a plausible explanation for the absence of the meet's most popular headliner.
James, who is also co-chairman of the UTech meet, in attempting to dispel the "rumours" and "speculations" yesterday, said the athlete's absence was due to "personal reasons".
"I don't believe we should put in the public domain the personal reason the coach has decided that Asafa could not run," said James.
"This is not a situation where we don't want our athletes to run in Jamaica; it's a personal reason and (Stephen) Francis is acting in the best interest of the athlete," added the MVP boss.
Powell was one of the main attractions for the meet and openly declared himself fit and raring to go.
"There are a number of factors which determine what's best for an athlete and when to participate. Asafa stated that he is fit, but that's what Asafa said. The coach has made a determination that it was not in Asafa's interest to participate this weekend," James noted.
According to James, he trusts the MVP technical staff's judgement and finds it easy to accept the decision for not allowing the Olympic 4X100 gold medallist to run at the UTech event.
"They (technical staff) have done an excellent job in preparing our athletes for world records, Olympic records, gold medals and if Stephen Francis says it is best if Asafa doesn't participate in a meet, I'm going to trust that. He has a proven track record," he said.
Stephen Francis, who did not attend yesterday's press briefing, sent a one-page letter which was read openly by his brother, assistant coach Paul Francis, who was the MVP athletes' liaison for the UTech Classic.
"Because of other developments since that time, which shall remain private, I have contacted Mr Francis (Paul) on Saturday, April 18, 2009 to inform him that I was withdrawing Mr Powell from the meet... the decision for Mr Powell not to run was made by me, in my capacity as his coach.
"The basis of the decision has not been revealed to Paul Francis or any other member of the UTech Classic Committee, including Mr Bruce James, the MVP president," Francis stated in the letter.
"The basis of this decision is a personal one between Asafa and myself as his coach and will remain so. Speculations in the media is useless, as the real reason will never be revealed by either Asafa Powell or myself...
"I hope that this statement further clarifies what happened on the weekend," the statement added.
Powell is scheduled to participate at the Penn Relays this weekend and the MVP president was quizzed as to what kind of signal that would send to the Jamaican public.
"The signal it would send is that he is now ready to participate," said James.
Meanwhile, several MVP athletes participated amidst adversities, including Olympic gold medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser, Melaine Walker, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater.
Fraser, the Olympic 100 champion, was second in the 200m at the Classic in 23.44 seconds behind 400m specialist Rosemarie White in 23.01.
Walker, the 400m hurdles Olympic champion, running with a bout of influenza, was third in the 400m in 53.93secs.
Carter and Frater were third and fourth in the 200m in 20.69 and 20.96, respectively.
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