Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) President Christopher Samuda says while both sides of the argument regarding athletes switching national allegiance have merit, there are measures to curb their occurrence.

This topic has dominated public discussion over several days after news of the recruitment of four elite male field event athletes, including three Olympic Games medallists, was confirmed. Some are in the process of receiving passports.

While some say they understand the plight of the athletes because of financial constraints, others have questioned their patriotism.

But Samuda sees the reasoning behind athletes’, such as the four in question, decisions.

SAMUDA…we can look at initiatives involving an aggressive tax incentive regime, and incentivising local, as well as foreign investors, in funding athletes

“Some may say that the context, if not the text, of the decision is clearly money,” Samuda said. “However, those who have taken the decision will tell you that the rationale is not only that bills have to be paid and mouths have to be fed, but also that an athlete has a short shelf life, unlike other professionals who can practise for decades, well beyond an athlete’s shelf life and, for some, just prior to the grave. They will tell you that, but for citizenship, the same principle governs transfers in other sports, where money opens windows to a market of sellers and buyers.

“Yes, money is very important in terms of one’s ability to meet current financial obligations and those that additionally, and inevitably, will arise in the future, particularly with the advent of family and time-guaranteed onset of health concerns.”

Samuda, however, explained the rationale behind the arguments about patriotism.

“Opponents will advocate that there is an uneasy feeling in the gut when, having wrapped yourself in the black, green and gold, having had the native platform to do so, you now wish to garb yourself in other colours,” he said. “An emotional response which is grounded in loyalty and patriotism, which although they cannot pay bills and feed mouths, can satisfy principle.”

But Samuda would rather not dwell on the problem, and says the solutions needed must be quick and practical.

The Olympic Rings displayed at the Eiffel Tower during the Paris Olympic Games in July 2024. (Photo: AFP)

His first suggestion regards a treasury to ensure athletes are better paid.

“A multimillion mutual fund with cash injections from private and public stakeholders managed by independent specialists with established operational procedures, investment policies, and selection criteria is an option,” he said. “Another, or a part of the mutual funding portfolio, is looking at local and foreign stock markets — dividend stocks — as an ROI [return on investment] income stream.

“We can look at initiatives involving an aggressive tax incentive regime, and incentivising local as well as foreign investors in funding athletes.”

Samuda then focused on another crucial issue that may be a push factor for athletes — their welfare.

As such, he wants the return of the National Sports Council, of which he was a member, for the creation of policies. This, he said, would be a broad-based policy-making body of experts, guided by clear terms of reference and an innovative mandate.

“As chair of the Athletes Welfare and Well-being Committee, colleague members — Don Anderson and Grace Jackson and I, along and with Suzette Ison and Florrette Blackwood, then of the Prime Minister’s Office, under which sport at that time fell — developed terms of reference, studied health schemes in external jurisdictions, immersed ourselves in comparative evaluations, examined cost structures and then hammered out a viable game plan,” he said. “Prospective service providers’ proposals were assessed and executives were interviewed, actuaries were consulted and given scripts to define, and experts were engaged in robust conversations. The result was the launch and implementation of the historic Jamaica Athletes’ Insurance Plan at Jamaica House. it was ‘mission accomplished’ for hundreds of our national athletes from then over 25 sport associations who would now benefit from health and life insurance as well as personal accident insurance. We did it for insurance. It can be done for other services.”

But Samuda says that the Olympic Salute programme launched last year by the JOA is already seeking to address these issues for athletes as it provides medallists from the Paris Olympics last year with scholarships and grants for them and coaches, much like the Olympic Solidarity Scholarships.

Samuda warned the public against chastising athletes for their decision.

“I caution against emotionally vilifying our athletes,” he said. “I will defend them. We should not deny them the same choice that other professionals make daily to leave our shores in search of financial security. Many of those professionals hold other passports, and some have gained citizenship.”