KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Cycling Federation has become the most recent local sporting body to receive approval from the relevant authorities to stage training and competition events under the Disaster Risk Management Act. The federation received formal notice of the approval in a letter last week.

The Wayne Palmer-led administration had submitted a request for return to sports with COVID-19 health and safety protocols to the relevant authorities from as early as November 2020; however, the process took quite some time for the protocols to be approved, the federation said.

The approval comes just four weeks ahead of the Pan American Track Cycling Championships, scheduled for June 23-29 in Lima, Peru.

“With the approval now secured, the national track cycling squad has a short window of opportunity to get back to training and racing on the velodrome at the National Stadium in preparation for the championships. The federation’s track cycling programme is headed by Olympic cyclist Ricardo Lynch, who was appointed as national track sprint cycling coach,” the federation added.

It explained that with the global impact of the pandemic, the athletes have not participated in any formal training or competitions for over a year.

“The federation is now hoping to put plans in place to host the National Time Trial and Road Cycling Championships at the end of June, when it is customarily held, with the National Track Cycling Championships tentatively scheduled for later this year,” it explained.