KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) is insisting that media reports originating from Jamaica and Turkiye about athletes switching allegiance might be presumptuous.

Reports are that four male field event athletes, including three Olympic medalists from Paris last year, were securing Turkish citizenship with the processes at varying stages of completion. This would make them eligible to represent the European nation at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Olympic Games men’s discus throw record holder Roje Stona, men’s long jump silver medalist Wayne Pinnock, men’s shot put bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell and World Under-20 triple jump record Jaydon Hibbert have been identified as the athletes making the jump from Jamaica, ostensibly to cash in on attractive financial rewards being offered.

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A release from the JAAA on Friday afternoon however called for restraint, saying World Athletics procedures were being ignored by the media.

“The transfer of allegiance of athletes is a process that involves the requisite national federations and requires the approval of World Athletics,” the release said.

“The JAAA wishes to inform the public that, to date, it has neither been notified nor received a request for the transfer of allegiance of any of our Jamaican athletes, whether those mentioned in the referenced media reports or any others,” it added.

In closing, the release said “The JAAA will continue to be guided by the World Athletics Transfer of Allegiance Regulations and will engage with the requisite processes.”