Clearing hurdles

Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) President Garth Gayle says that he does not anticipate any complications for overseas-based athletes, returning to Jamaica to compete at next month’s National Senior Championships inside the National Stadium.

His comments come as the trial, which will be used to help select Jamaica’s track and field team to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, has been given government approval to take place from June 24-27.

A number of Jamaica’s top athletes compete and are based overseas, bringing concerns of how the mandatory two-week quarantine period for person travelling to the island, which remains in effect under the Disaster Risk Management Act, would affect their participation at the championships.

Gayle said that they are currently in discussions with the Government and are exploring avenues for those athletes to come to Jamaica and compete safely. While not disclosing the possible options, he said that all will have the opportunity to earn a place on the team.

“We are in dialogue with the Government and we are assured that all will be well,” Gayle told The Gleaner. “I do not foresee any challenges for our overseas athletes.”

The current travel restrictions require all passengers travelling to Jamaica to submit a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before departure as well as to be quarantined for 14 days.

Gayle said that whatever options are being considered, it will be in keeping with the guidelines.

“It’s an established protocol that the Government has in place and we are seeking to work around that same guideline,” Gayle said.

Sports physician Dr Akshai Mansingh said that it would be ideal for those that will be travelling to Jamaica for the trials, to be fully vaccinated. However, he believes that a workaround can be reached to promote safety and ensure that those athletes are not prevented from competing or placed at a disadvantage because of the quarantine period.

“We recognise that not everybody can or wants to be vaccinated. Now track and field is by and large a low-risk sport and if you are to come in and do some sort of screening, where you could do some tests before you came in, maybe sevens days or three days before, then do a test on arrival and if it’s negative, then the Government could (make a concession),” Mansingh suggested.

“You can work out something for this scenario because of the nature of the sport and because bearing in mind the time period involved, you could get something worked out,” Mansingh added.

Two of Jamaica’s eight individual medallists from the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, are based overseas. They are Danniel Thomas Dodd, who won silver in the women’s shot put and Danielle Williams, who was third in the women’s 100m hurdles event.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com