The executive of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) is expected to have an emergency meeting today following yesterday’s confirmation that four top-tier athletes, including three medallists from last year’s Olympic Games, had completed the process of becoming Turkish citizens.

The crisis meeting was called as discus throw gold medallist Roje Stona, long jump silver medallist Wayne Pinnock, shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell and two-time World Under-20 champion and world Under-20 triple jump record holder Jaydon Hibbert – all field event athletes, were reported to have completed the documentation to become citizens of the Middle Eastern country.

Stona, still without a contract, set a new Olympic record when he threw 70.00m and Campbell, who has also failed to secure a contract, won the bronze in the shot put, the first time any Jamaicans were winning medals in these events at the Olympics.

It shoudl be noted that athletes who compete in field events generally earn less than their on-track counterparts.

News broke earlier in the week that Türkiye had been aggressively recruiting Jamaican field event athletes with the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 being the target.

Under the transfer rules of World Athletics, the athletes will not be able to compete for Jamaica over the next three years to be eligible for their new country, come 2028.

When contacted yesterday, first vice-president of the JAAA Ian Forbes told the Jamaica Observer he could not respond as the federation had not been officially notified.

Forbes, however, confirmed that the executive should be meeting this morning to formulate a response.

Meanwhile, Turkish sports journalist Kutluhan Kocadag from @GirareSports told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that it was not unusual for the country to entice proven athletes from other countries and that some of their top achievers were born elsewhere.

“As a matter of fact, there have been athletes in Turkey’s history who have competed in organisations by changing their nationality, so-called devsirme, in different athletics branches,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “Since this is not a new situation, it did not come as a big surprise. Some of the athletes such as Elvan Abeylegese, Yasmani Copello and Ramil Guliyev, who have achieved important degrees in important competitions, were originally from different countries.”

He said, “Especially for long-distance races, this was the way to go. However, with the exception of Ersu Sasma in the pole vault, the fact that no athlete born and developed in Turkey was able to compete for a medal in Los Angeles on behalf of Turkey has been criticised. The athletes from Jamaica and the financial investment made in them are also indicative of this.”

Kocadag said as far as he knew, athletes from other countries were not targeted, and that while there was no official announcement from the Turkish federation that should be forthcoming soon.

“There is no official announcement about the athletes yet, but in order for them to compete in 2028, the citizenship procedures must be completed [before] next month, so naturally we will hear an announcement as soon as possible,” he said.

Reports are that the athletes would receive as much as US$500, 000 on signing and attractive bonuses including almost US$1m if they won an Olympic gold medal, and he was asked if other Turkish athletes were receiving similar remuneration.

“First of all, I don’t think that athletes in Turkey are able to earn these sums of money all of a sudden. Especially the payment of 500,000 may be a sum of money that a Turkish athlete cannot catch unless he/she achieves Olympic success or success in a major [championship],” said Kocadag.

“Athletics in Turkey is not a sport that is closely followed and invested in. Clubs like ENKA and Fenerbahçe invest in athletes and support them regularly on their way to the Olympics, but other than that, we rarely see any investment. The interest of the fans and spectators is directly proportional to this, it is not possible to compare with Jamaica and the tradition of athletics there in this respect.”

Meanwhile, former national discus record holder and Olympian Jason “Dadz” Morgan and a veteran track and field official, who wished not to be identified, were in support of the move by the athletes.

Morgan, who had chronicled his frustrations with efforts to get help from the JAAA, said in a Facebook post, “I support (the) athletes’ decision to seek better opportunities and appreciation from their country. Seek financial incentives and setting up things for your own future and family is very important. Go get yours, loyalty and patriotism don’t pay bills.”

The official told the Jamaica Observer they had no issues with the athletes looking out for their financial future and that of their families, “We will have over 300 athletes competing for places on the national team to the World Championships at Trials next weekend. If we are lucky, a handful of them will do well enough to be able to retire when the time comes. These athletes are doing what any other highly skilled professionals like engineers, teachers and nurses would do, if they got the chance.”

The athletes will join sprinters Jacques Harvey and Winston Barnes as Jamaican athletes who had switched allegiance to the Middle Eastern country.

Harvey, who changed his name to Jak Ali Harvey, is the joint national record holder in the 100m with 9.92 seconds and joins Barnes, who changed his name to Emre Zafer Barnes, as part of the team that set the national 4x100m record of 37.98 seconds.

Jamaica’s Roje Stona competes in the men’s discus event at the Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on August 5, 2024. Stona has reportedly switched allegiance to Turkey. (Photo: AFP)