The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has responded to the decision by World Athletics Nationality Review Panel to block the transfer of allegiance of four Jamaican athletes to Turkiye by reaffirming their commitment to the athletes while underlining that the local body had never sought to block any athlete.

On Thursday, the panel blocked the application of 11 athletes from five different countries, including four from Jamaica, who were seeking to transfer their allegiance to Türkiye.

The four Jamaicans — Olympic Games men’s discus record holder Roje Stona, Olympic and World Championships men’s long jump medallist Wayne Pinnock, Olympic Games men’s shot put medallist Rajindra Campbell, and World Under-20 record holder Jaydon Hibbert — were among the 11 athletes who had started the process to switch allegiance to Turkiye in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

While the JAAA had joined other countries in taking the issue to the World Athletics Congress, President Garth Gayle said in the release that the association had never petitioned against athletes switching sporting allegiance and invited dialogue and support for those involved.

“We respect the authority and mandate of World Athletics to safeguard the integrity of international competition. At the same time, the JAAA remains steadfast in its commitment to the welfare, development, and advancement of all Jamaican athletes,” said Gayle, who added that the association is ensuring that all resources are provided for its athletes.

“It is important to note that, historically, the JAAA has never submitted any petition to World Athletics to block athletes from transferring allegiance. This position reflects our long-standing approach, as there have been previous instances of athletes seeking transfers, and the association has consistently respected the established international processes governing such requests,” said Gayle.

“We reaffirm that you remain valued members of the Jamaican track and field fraternity. Whether your path continues under the black, green, and gold, or evolves in a different direction, the JAAA stands ready to engage constructively and provide support where possible.”

Earlier on Thursday, Gayle had told the Jamaica Observer they were willing to work with the reintegration of the athletes, “We hold no grudges, our doors are wide open. We are all Jamaicans, and once they are in good standing, they would always be welcomed back.”

So far, at least one athlete, Stona, through his agent Paul Doyle, said he would be appealing the decision, and it is expected that others will follow suit as well.

The president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) Christopher Samuda has, however, come out in support of the athletes and their decision to seek green pastures, telling the Jamaica Observer yesterday, “The decision of World Athletics in the particular circumstances has its DNA in materialism, and the reality is that the diminution or appropriation of talent induced solely by self-gain interests had always attracted the ire of purists.”

He urged Jamaicans to not “ostracise our countrymen who laboured with the decision of weighing the future, after the shelf life of sport, in the scales of the present. It would not have been an easy exercise, particularly if hands outstretched yielded nothing. Let not our embrace forsake them.”

Samuda added: “In exercise of a right, World Athletics has now given a prescription, a bitter pill for some, and there will be those who will argue that political factors are at play …But the court of public opinion will require compelling evidence before an adverse judgment is handed down.”

Also on Thursday, noted sports lawyer Dr Emir Crowne had expressed some concern with the procedural fairness of the decision and wondered whether “each case was dealt with on an individual basis.

“It does raise a question as to whether the 11 athletes were unfairly grouped together, as opposed to it being an individualised assessment of, you know, of each as the merits of each transfer,” Crowne offered.

Before an appeal can be submitted, athletes are required to request a reconsideration from the Nationality Review Panel after which they may take their arguments to the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

World Athletics approved stricter transfer of allegiance rules on March 19, 2026, with those new regulations taking effect on March 27, 2026. It allowed a maximum of 10 athlete transfers per member federation for each Olympic cycle, with limits set to one female and one male per country from any single member federation, which is aimed at preventing bulk transfers.

According to a release from World Athletics, the applications were denied because “the panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy led by the Türkiye Government acting through a wholly owned and financed government club to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts with the aim of facilitating transfers of allegiance and enabling those athletes to represent Türkiye at future international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games”.

Among the other athletes are Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili and Kenyans Brian Kibor, Catherine Relin, Ronald Kwemoi, and Brigid Kosgei as well as Russian Sophia Yakushina.

“Given the common features across the applications, the panel assessed them together and determined that such an approach is inconsistent with the core principles of the regulations. These principles are designed to safeguard the credibility of international competition, encourage member federations to invest in the development of domestic talent, and maintain confidence among athletes that national teams are not primarily assembled through external recruitment,” World Athletics stated.

As a result of the decisions, the athletes are not eligible to represent Türkiye in national representative competitions or other relevant international events such as the Olympic Games and World Championships. This, however, does not prevent them from competing in one-day meetings or road races in a personal or club capacity, or from living and training in Türkiye.

GAYLE…It is important to note that, historically, the JAAA has never submitted any petition to World Athletics to block athletes from transferring allegiance. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)