Who’s the boss?

PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), Garth Gayle, and president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Christopher Samuda, are finally publicly admitting to a brewing conflict between the leadership of both organisations that has boiled over into major international games and is without an end in sight.

Gayle, in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, without directly pointing a figure at Samuda, accused the leadership of the JOA of wanting to run the affairs of the JAAA, and stridently vowed to defend the autonomy of his executive.

Samuda, on the other hand, while being somewhat cryptic in an earlier interview, argued that, once the JOA assists a member association, they should be able to guide the process because of the risk involved.

“The working relationship can be much better, but the association, which the JAAA recognises as our guide, is World Athletics. So we don’t see how we could recognise no (local) apex association. Never let that be misunderstood, and no (local) association will dictate and tell us how we do our business,” Gayle asserted.

NO GROUSE WITH JAAA

Samuda countered: “We don’t have any grouse with the JAAA or any member association. They are our members, we are the governing body, and we are here to assist, and we have assisted the JAAA financially and otherwise in the past and will continue to do so. Once a need is expressed and once, of course, if the need is expressed, then there is the concomitant risk to the association (JOA).”

Gayle, however, argued that this is not the case. He states that the executives must carry out the mandate of the JAAA and not take instructions from the JOA, which he noted also has its own rules and guidelines under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Charter.

He was adamant that the JAAA would only follow World Athletics and its affiliate, the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC). Gayle said that he has tried to work out the differences with the leadership of the JOA without success.

“These are two separate organisations with clearly different mandates and responsibilities. None of the two should be impinging or seeking to direct either, but simply to work together cohesively, harmoniously,” Gayle continued.

“Many sporting associations in Jamaica would have had their periods where they excel locally, regionally and internationally. So there is no apex association. There is none. I am very clear in my mind, and the executive committee to which I am a part of and lead, equally, mutually agree that all opinions and positions are brought to the table. We discuss and are guided by the founding principles, we arrive at a position to the benefit and development of the sport.

“Athletics has been doing exceptionally well. We are aware of that. We jealously protect that, and we jealously and emphatically seek to develop that even more, but not to the detriment of any other association,” said Gayle.

The differences played out at the Tokyo Olympic Games two years ago, when issues between the two entities prevented Gayle from attending the event. Some differences also affected Jamaica’s participation at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year.

Both Gayle and Samuda, however, agree that they will seek to continue working together in the best possible way, for the benefit of the island’s athletes.