Laurie Foster | Bold move by Champs organisers

The organisers of the annual ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletic Championships have pulled the plug on its 2020 staging. In their minds, and despite all the efforts, energy and expenditure which have already been expressed, the health risks inherent in its execution were simply not worth it. The cancellation came after the announcement that Jamaica had recorded its first positive test for the new coronavirus.

The reaction from the coaches who have been preparing the athletes for competition is varied. According to published reports, David Riley, their spokesperson, has lashed out on the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), saying that the five-day event should have been allowed to go on but without the type of crowds which are known to flock to the National Stadium every year to witness what has been called the most prestigious high-school track meet in the world.

One can understand the disappointment, or even disgust, of the dissenting coaches as well as the athletes themselves, especially those who were due to perform at this level for the last time. What has been cited as the main cause for disagreement with the ISSA ruling is that the event serves as an opportunity for athletes’ skills to be showcased with the hope of securing scholarships for USA-based institutions. With the Government’s advisory to schools not to participate in the now-cancelled 2020 Penn Relays for similar reasons, this makes the concerns appear more valid. However, Foster’s Fairplay does not totally concur with the views of these athletes and their coaches.

More options

In recent times, the locally based options for athletes who seek to further their education and progress in the sport are just as active as they have ever been. There is nothing to suggest that the Racers Track Club and MVPs of this world are about to disappear anytime soon.

Plus, one will agree that these entities decide long before the high-school extravaganza which athletes they wish to bring under their umbrella. Similarly, the foreign-based institutions who are into the offering of scholarships would have been targeting their prospects over a longer period of time, and basically know who are to be the recipients of scholarship offers. Also, with the focus of the athletes on their competition, local coaches would not necessarily welcome the distraction that active recruitment can cause. They, too, would have knowledge as in whom this or that college from abroad has interest. In that case, they should be more interested in having the athlete perform at maximum efficiency to make his or her case for acceptance that more secure.

With that in mind, Foster’s Fairplay is tempted to conclude that the question of recruitment at this stellar event is overrated. It should not be viewed as a mitigating circumstance to drive a national resolve to protect an entire country from the possibility of serious health endangerment.

Let us therefore accept that the cancellation of Champs 2020 was one of those occasions which simply had to happen. It was a bold move by the organisers, and they should be commended for acting swiftly when the situation took the ominous turn which it did when a local diagnosis was revealed.

For feedback, email: lauriefoster2012@gmail.com.