Hubert Lawrence | Not the headline news

German javelin thrower Julian Weber won't get any closer to next week's European Championships than his TV set. Unfortunately, Weber is the classic case of an athlete being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite a mammoth throw of 84.62m, he was merely fourth at his National Championships and has no chance of making the German team.

Those ahead of him are Olympic gold medallist Thomas Rohler, World Champion Johannes Vetter, and new German champion Andreas Hoffman. Weber has to cheer them on from his living room despite the 84.62m being the longest throw ever to earn fourth place and nearly 10m further than the Jamaica record of 75.01m.

That should be a headline, but alas and alack, only track stat geeks will notice. Despite the new IAAF rules, you almost wish there was some way to make him a Jamaican.

That would almost guarantee gold at this week's CAC Games in Barranquilla, Colombia, and at next year's Pan-American Games. The new Jamaican might even upstage one of his former countrymen at the World Championships in Doha. Imagine that, a Jamaican medal in the javelin.

Not much quarrel

The local track family probably wouldn't quarrel too much. In 1970, UK-based Marilyn Neufville didn't give too much resistance when she transferred her allegiance to Jamaica before setting a world record to win the 400m at the Commonwealth Games. A generation later, Aisha Praught-Leer has been a big hit with her new compatriots, especially since her steeplechase win at the Commonwealth Games this year.

US-bred World Under 20 champions Damion Thomas and Briana Williams are enjoying the same love.

Of course, Neufville, Praught-Leer, Thomas, and Williams have strong Jamaican ties.

The new rules are designed to make it harder for big-money nations to poach athletes from poor countries. Those with long memories will recall that Jamaica had lost 2004 Olympic 400m finalist Brandon Simpson to Bahrain. More recently, sprint prospects Jacques Harvey, Kimarley Brown, and Andrew Fisher have made similar moves.

No one wants rapid-fire international transfers any more than we would local high school transfers. In fact, ISSA has long had rules in place to throttle the practice.

With that background, the tightening of the international rules is well meant.

Still, movement is natural and so are changes in allegiance. Moreover, as in the Neufville case, small nations sometimes benefit from development done elsewhere.

In addition, where possible, small countries must do their very best to care for their athletes. In this regard, our Bahamian friends might be the world leaders. For decades, they have sent financial support to their athletes, perhaps contributing to long and productive careers for the likes of Chris 'Fireman' Brown and Debbie Ferguson.

The out-turn? I've never heard of a Bahamian athlete competing for any other country. In the meantime, someone should give Weber a call.

- Hubert Lawrence has made notes at track side since 1980.