BUDAPEST, Hungary – Senior members of the Jamaican management team have refuted allegations by sprinter Tyquendo Tracey that he was threatened with having his accreditation to the Budapest World Championships revoked after protesting his non-inclusion in the 4x100m relay pool.

Tracey, who was fifth in the 100m final at the national trials in July, made the allegation in a social media post in which he blamed his non-selection on alleged favouritism on the part of Maurice Wilson, the technical leader of Jamaica’s world championships team.

According to Tracey, after he raised the issue with reporters in Budapest, he was contacted by Security Liaison Officer Steve McGregor and told his accreditation to the championships would be withdrawn and he would be asked to leave the team village.

McGregor and Dennis Gordon, the team’s media liaison officer, have both refuted the allegations.

When contacted, Gordon said he was unaware of the social media post or the threat to send the athlete home.

McGregor told OBSERVER ONLINE he had “never told Tracey to leave the camp” but confirmed that Wilson had reported to him in his capacity as the security chief that he had “been disrespected” by Tracey.

McGregor said, on Tuesday, he asked Tracey to leave the training area where Wilson was going through a training session with athletes and he said the athlete accompanied him to the team area in the stadium where they both watched the day’s proceedings.

He said he had one other conversation with Tracey on Thursday after a meeting involving team management concerning the situation with the athlete.

-Paul A Reid