KINGSTON, Jamaica — World Athletics President Sebastien Coe says the organisation’s national review panel is now examining concerns raised by Jamaica last year over athletes being lured by wealthier countries, following the decision of several top field athletes to switch allegiance to Turkey.

“In 2018, I completely altered the process, so we created a national review panel. That national review panel makes judgment about whether the applications are spurious or genuinely founded in the nature of the global world that we live in. We now have a very clear and formal process. The specific issue that you’ve raised of local interest sits with the review panel,” Coe said.

He was speaking during a press conference hosted by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) on Wednesday.

“I have always made clear that the proposition that we should start out with is that an athlete that starts their career wearing a national vest should, in essence, finish their career wearing the same vest. I do understand from time to time there will be exceptional circumstances, and that’s the nature of the world that we live in,” he said.

Olympic discus throw champion Roje Stona, long jump silver medallist Wayne Pinnock, shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell, and triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert are all seeking to represent Turkey at the 2028 Olympic Games.

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