For years, several of Jamaica’s athletes, both privately and publicly, have expressed their displeasure with the way the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) oversees track and field locally. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe says his organisation is prepared to help strengthen that relationship in the interest of improving the sport.

Great Britain’s Olympic middle-distance champion Coe left the island last Wednesday following a four-day visit, which included meeting with a number of stakeholders, including the Garth Gayle-led JAAA.

The local governing body has received criticism from a number of current and former athletes over various aspects of its administration of the sport.

Most recently, Olympic medallists Rajindra Campbell and Wayne Pinnock cited a lack of support from the JAAA as a major factor behind their decision to switch allegiance to Turkey last year.

Referencing the JAAA’s decision to turn down a lucrative contract offer from apparel giants adidas, shot putter Campbell, who won bronze at the 2024 Games in Paris, said, “There were bonuses that would have benefited the athlete, not the federation. Certain things they wouldn’t have control over because it would have been directed to the athlete, based on my understanding, and they went against that, so in my eyes, dem nuh care bout us. They more care about their life for the sponsor, and not their life for the country, so in a sense, they make the decision kinda easy.”

Long jump star Pinnock, who won silver at the 2023 World Championships, 2024 Olympics, and 2025 World Indoor Championships, said the Turkish Federation would look out for him more, and that he’s “never even received an e-mail” from the JAAA “saying congratulations”.

One medal-winning athlete, who has represented Jamaica at a number of major championships, told the Jamaica Observer that they don’t speak on issues publicly due to fear of retaliation from the JAAA.

When asked by the Observer on how the relationship could be fixed, Coe says World Athletics have systems to ensure matters are properly addressed.

“It is important that all elements in any organisation work optimally — the athletes, the coaches, the technical officials, and that is always done best through the National Federation. We work closely with the National Federation, and let me be really clear, we are always available, we do this all the time,” he said.

“I know I’m going to embarrass [World Athletics Director of International Relations and Development] Helen [Delany] now, but her teams that are permanently liaising and working with our member federations do this as a matter of course and we do it behind closed doors and we do it with conversations that actually remain behind closed doors. So any help, any support, we are always available to be sometimes in a mediating role, sometimes to give advice to both sides, and that will always be the case.”

While praising Jamaica’s achievement in the track and field, Coe believes a competent federation is essential to sustaining that success.

“This is a small island nation that consistently and historically has always punched above its weight — that is in large part because of the extraordinary talent that has emerged from these shores,” he said. “I think all but one Olympic medal that has been won in the history of Jamaica’s presence in an Olympic Games has been won [in] track and field so that, in its way, does demonstrate the extraordinary strength, the passion, and the role that athletics and sport plays in a nation that really does understand and generates passion around that.”

“But I don’t also think that athletic talent in and of itself is enough. It needs to be supported and suffused through the work of federations, and I consistently and always nod towards the federations, because most of the programmes, the success that athletes enjoy, the pathways, the coaching structures are fostered and nurtured through the federation.”

Coe is expected to return to Jamaica in April after announcing that he would be the patron of a 5K event to help raise funds for people affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe speaks during a JAAA press conference on Wednesday January 7, 2025 at the JAAA headquarters in Kingston. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (centre) speaks as Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) President Garth Gayle and Jamaica’s Sports Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange look on, during a press conference at the JAAA headquarters in St Andrew on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Rajindra Campbell (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Wayne Pinnock competes in the men’s long jump during the Olympic Games at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Sunday, August 4, 2024. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)