NATALIE Neita-Headley, the Minister without portfolio Responsibility for sports, has urged corporate Jamaica to protect the student athletes in their efforts to assist them.

Neita-Headley was making reference to the latest incident where two of the island’s most promising junior athletes, Calabar High’s Michael O’Hara and Wolmer’s Boys’ Jaheel Hyde have been barred from participating in the prestigious Penn Relays as High School students.

Both student athletes are deemed ineligible based on a ruling from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association (PIAA) indicating the two athletes received benefits related to their athletic skills and performances which are not available to all students at their high schools.

Hyde, who is the World Youth and Youth Olympics 110m hurdles champion and the World Junior 400m hurdles champion, has signed a deal with telecommunication provider LIME as their ambassador.

O’Hara, who is the World Junior 200m champion, revealed in no uncertain manner at Champs that he is Digicel’s newest ambassador.

“As minister with responsibility for sports, I don’t often get involved in the everyday operations of our sporting federations and organisations. I tend to be more engaged in the policy, the framework that guides sports development,” said Neita-Headley.

“But I feel it is necessary at this time to intervene in the current impasse that has occurred with our two high school students in Michael O’Hara and Jaheel Hyde as it relates to their appearances in the Penn Relays.

“Coming out of this, I intend work with ISSA, to work with the JAAAs and other governing bodies in sports to ensure that we develop policies to protect our student athletes,” she continued.

“I want to continue to encourage our sponsors to support the student athletes, but how we support, where we support, is going to be critical as we go forward. It cannot be at any point at the expense of the career development of these student athletes,” she said.

“It is important to note also that while the sponsors are to be thanked whole-heartedly I want to ensure that we do it in such a way that our athletes are protected. Their futures are protected while the sponsors are able to contribute in a meaningful way,” she added.