Lessons learned from Williams fiasco

There is a not-so-subtle irony about the executive members of the governing body for local athletics, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), being widely criticised and summarily embarrassed for their attempts at ­rigidly enforcing the rules of the sport.

Conversely, because of the ­specific and unique nuances of the Danielle Williams false-start issue, it is reasonably difficult for anyone who has followed this saga from its beginning not to feel a sense of acrimony towards the local governing body. This is especially after seeing Williams destroy the field in the 100m hurdles at the 2019 Diamond final in Brussels on Friday to consolidate her position as the world leader in the event and, more importantly, securing her place as a wild-card entrant on the Jamaican team to the upcoming IAAF World Championships.

Under all the circumstances, it is hardly unreasonable, either, for us to at least wonder if that veiled threat issued by JAAA president Dr Warren Blake still stands – the threat that even if Williams wins the Diamond, she is still not ­guaranteed a place on the Jamaican team to Doha because her participation remains at the JAAA’s discretion. Having recanted on that threat and declared Williams ­eligible for selection, surely, not even the supreme leaders of the JAAA could possibly rehash that level of petty, egotistic imbecility to find another way to prevent the in-form Williams from donning the nation’s colours in Doha.

EGO STROKING

One would hope that the JAAA, like the rest of Jamaica, has moved on and accepted that they, especially the chief starter, Ludlow Watts, who is also a senior official within the organisation, could have, and should have, in those now infamous moments, acted in the national interest and not in the interest of stroking anyone’s personal ego.

Common sense did not prevail, and as things turned out, the JAAA has been dragged through a period of awkwardness by its own pig-headedness, while an entire nation has converged with empathy on the fate and fortunes of Williams. As if ordained, the 2015 World Champion has been energised and motivated by all the swirling circumstances into producing the best form and performances of her life, which, in turn, sent the local governing body scampering in indecision and uncertainty.

It is, indeed, something uniquely strange about us as Jamaicans that so many among us would seek to treat or support the treatment of our distinguished national ­representatives in this manner. It says a lot about us as a people that so many affiliated with the sport at the highest level were willing to sacrifice the national interest for personal self-righteousness.

There is something of a fairy-tale ending to this saga, with all parties involved set to live happily ever after, we hope, as the nation will ultimately be represented by our best athletes in this ­particular event. In moving forward as a fraternity and as a nation, there are enough life lessons for those who wish to learn. On the part of Williams, she obviously took the opportunity to school herself in the areas of self-belief, confidence, and resilience in demonstrating the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Humility and an enforced reticence on the part of the JAAA is the hope as we wish the athletics bosses a speedy recovery from this unique embarrassment, which was really and truly all of their very own doing.