Jamaican athletics - beyond the elections

Delano Franklyn, Guest Columnist

Track and field is currently the jewel in Jamaica's sport crown. That is why the upcoming Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association's (JAAA) elections, which will take place on November 29, are of such importance.

Despite words to the contrary, by some, Jamaicans love an election. And the current campaign has been, at times, contentious. That is expected. It is a campaign, not a tea party. A few barbs have been thrown, but none to worry; once the track season starts, it will be back to business by all those who are now in full campaign mode.

That said, the outcome of the elections will determine the path of our track and field programme for the next four years.

While I am in no way underestimating the contribution of pioneers such as Herb McKenley, Arthur Wint, Donald Quarrie, Merlene Ottey, Deon Hemmings-McCatty, Jamaica's unquestionable dominance in the sprints, on the world stage, has come about in only the last 10 years.

It is important, therefore, that those offering themselves for the leadership of the JAAA - Lincoln Eatmon, Grace Jackson, and my favourite, Dr Warren Blake - understand what has caused this qualitative leap in our athletic performance, which took place under the leadership of former president Howard Aris; how it can be sustained; and how it can be built on.

In this context, I wish to put forward five issues for consideration.

1. The revolutionary developments which have taken place in communications technology have launched sport, in this case track and field, into a global marquee event.

While this can be easily argued to have been as a result of the iconic status of Usain Bolt, it is further underpinned by the star qualities of athletes such as Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Yohan Blake, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and a whole host of others.

While the above-mentioned athletes did not gain international stardom overnight, the new JAAA leadership will have to ensure that it is on the cutting edge of modern technology as it seeks to advance a programme which will allow athletes of high calibre to make it to the world stage.

2. Most of the athletes which are now at the pinnacle of international success are Jamaica-trained. Bolt, Blake, Fraser-Pryce, Powell, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Melaine Walker come readily to mind.

The combination of world-class coaches with the vision of integrating track and field clubs with leading tertiary institutions has proven to be a winning formula for Jamaica's track and field.

The G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport must also be seen as an incubator for an existing club. So, too, Mico University College, the Northern Caribbean University, and Sam Sharpe Teachers' College.

Local clubs must be given greater emphasis.

3. The connection between the local athletic fraternity and an entity with global commercial and marketing reach, in this case, Puma International, has helped Jamaica to get ingratiated in the global economy.

At the last two Olympics, Puma brought its marketing skills to the fore and organised a series of promotional foray to create a winning formula of sport and reggae.

Despite Puma's assistance, Jamaica's track and field, at the moment, is just tinkering with the huge possibilities of what Jamaica can earn in the global economy.

In 2008, for example, Jamaica's track athletes, particularly Usain Bolt, created an unquestionable impact in China. This market of more than a billion persons, which is largely responsible for fuelling much-needed growth in the world economy, has remained largely untapped by the JAAA. The new leadership must examine very seriously all the possibilities which the Chinese market has to offer.

4. Over the last 20 years, the funding of track and field has increased significantly.

The dedicated stream of funds from the state-funded Sport Development Foundation to the efforts of the JAAA must not be underestimated. A number of sporting facilities islandwide have been upgraded, such as those at Edwin Allen High, Girls' Champs victors.

Over the last 10 years, funding from the private sector, such as GraceKennedy and Jamaica National, has also increased in the area of track and field.

The JAAA must build on this platform.

5. Awareness of the importance of track and field to national development has increased.

Tourism players have been quietly buying into the concept of sport tourism. Attempts to mobilise the Jamaican diaspora in the United Kingdom are signs that the State is moving beyond seeing sport as purely recreational.

Jamaica's track and field has the potential to generate its own revenue and wean itself off the national budget. In this period of intense global economic competition, the JAAA cannot afford to lock itself into any sponsorship contract for more than four years, unless it has built-in clauses which allow it to demand what other competing sponsors are prepared to offer.

OTHER CRITICAL ISSUES

Apart from these five areas which have added to the dynamics of track and field, and which must be built upon, there are some other critical issues which require concentrated attention.

One is the welfare of our athletes. This includes current athletes, as well as those who are no longer active.

Regrettably, there have been too many complaints that some administrators have not been as sensitive as they should to their social, medical and economic challenges. There is, for example, the need for the implementation of a specially designed medical insurance scheme for current athletes; the establishment of a pain management centre; and the creation of a pension plan.

There is also the need for the identification and retention of trained and experienced persons who can help the athletes with their personal and social development, particularly those who are constantly under the glare of the camera, on how to properly represent themselves and their country off the track.

The second has to do with the sport itself. When Jamaica launched its assault on the athletic international stage in 1948 and 1952, it was the 400m in which we were most dominant. In later years, with the emergence of our sprinters, we have become dominant in the 100m and 200m, as well as in the hurdles.

We have to get back to where we were in the 400m, as well as build on the fine talent emerging among our throwers.

The facilities of our throwers are in need of significant upgrading. What the coaches and the throwers have been able to achieve with the little they have is nothing short of miraculous and a demonstration of the indomitable spirit of Jamaicans.

The JAAA must also continue to help with the promotion and strengthening of the country's anti-doping programme. Failure to do so can derail, almost irreparably, Jamaica's track and field programme. So far, we have been able to successfully manage the challenges we have faced, but consistent and vigorous attention to this area of work is unquestionable.

CONCLUSION

The three persons who have put themselves forward for the presidency of the JAAA have all contributed to track and field.

However, what track and field needs at this time is not just persons who can oversee the organisation of athletic meets, but a team able to mobilise the necessary resources to develop the sport.

It also needs a team that can bring all the parties together, after a potentially fractious campaign. Further, it needs a team which will place the welfare of the athletes as a critical plank of development.

It also needs a team which is not indifferent to the buzzwords of transparency and accountability, and which is prepared to make the necessary sacrifice without considering personal benefits. The JAAA's Treasury, for example, must be the subject of constant scrutiny by its membership.

Delano Franklyn is an attorney-at-law, government adviser and sport enthusiast. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and delanofranklyn@cwjamaica.com.