Posted by By Orville Higgins,
Sports Vibes broadcast on KLAS Sports Radio on Friday, Oct 9, 2009.
Donald Quarrie
It is understood that the manager’s reports are now in from the Berlin Games. To date we haven’t heard a peep from the JAAA about what impact these reports have had or exactly what course of action they are going to take. For a topic that was ‘ all the rage’ a few weeks ago, this one now looks likely to slip below the radar. Or wouldn’t it?
I am among those who have a real interest in seeing how this one will pan out. It seems to me that the JAAA cannot allow the manager’s report to slip away quietly, a lot is riding on this report, the JAAA are almost obligated to make much of it.
The hierarchy of the JAAA made the serious decision of trying to send home six MVP athletes from the Games. They insisted at that time that they were well within their rights to do so. The two parties have different views on how communication was made between them – stating whether the camp was mandatory or not. The manager’s report should shed some light on this issue, one way or another.
The issue of Veronica Campbell-Brown’s refusal to run in the relays must also come up in that ‘management’s’ report. Or wouldn’t it? I remember talking to Donald Quarrie after the Games and he made it clear that he felt Veronica had behaved less than exemplary – although he did say that he wouldn’t be pursuing the matter. At that time, something about that statement seemed a little strange to me. I couldn’t understand why the technical director of a country’s athletics team was accepting the fact that an athlete under his charge stepped out of line but wasn’t interested in seeing that athlete face punishment. I felt at the time that irrespective of how you feel about a person representing Jamaica at the highest level, you were duty-bound to see them face sanctions for indiscretions they had committed, especially a situation as serious as; directly refusing to compete for the country. Not taking actions will lead to several implications which could come back to haunt us down the road. Mr. Quarrie’s report on that issue is therefore crucial.
I didn’t think much about it then, but now I wonder. Can a manager pick and choose what he puts in a report, or is he duty-bound to report on all the issues, especially the more fundamental ones? If you had listened to Donald Quarrie’s interviews and read what he was saying at the time, it was clear he thought Veronica was wrong by refusing to run but he was clearly not too keen on seeing her punished. Can his report now just omit that particular incident? Can his report now put a different spin to what he was telling us at the time? Can a private report differ from your public utterances and still be considered credible?
The JAAA have said that they will read the manage’s reports carefully and then decide from these reports whether the MVP athletes will face a disciplinary committee or not. They have said that it is not automatic that the athletes will face sanctions but from where I sit they have no choice, they must pursue a course of action against the athletes who were supposedly in breach. The very least that has to happen is that the athletes must face a disciplinary panel.
This disciplinary panel may well rule that there should be no sanctions against the athletes, but that’s not the point. The real story is this – if they don’t face a disciplinary panel, then the JAAA’s will be seriously embarrassed. They must have a disciplinary committee handing out some kind of ruling. If not, it is going to be obvious that they were too hasty and too keen to take the actions they did in Berlin. I repeat. The manager’s reports are crucial in deciding the fate of those athletes and then again, the managers’ report might not even matter.
Let’s put this all in perspective. The JAAA were convinced that the athletes clearly breached their rules by not attending the supposedly mandatory camp and they were prepared to kick them off the team at that time. This means, regardless of what is in those reports, they must put these people in front of a panel, to justify their actions in Berlin or they should come out and apologize to the MVP people for trying to throw them off the team. Will the ‘feel-good’ vibes of performing in Berlin mean that the JAAA’s should forget about this whole thing? Should that matter?
This one is being watched closely … These are my views, and as always, what say you?
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the views or position of TrackAlerts.com
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I totally agree with this article because if they were so quick to take action in berlin, why does it now needs the manager’s report to put them before the disciplinary panel.
To me, its seems like this one is heading for a secret closure
Vangipurappu…it is called a cover. JAAA is full of themselves. Jamaica has the whole world track and field fantasy. The world can’t get enough. Now do you think those idiots at JAAA have the balls to slay the gooses that lay the golden eggs? They don’t.
Where would they walk after that. Read between the lines? I am even surprise they are still waiting on some report.
They need to fire everyone of those idiots at JAAA. They are sitting on a ATM and don’t know how to get out the money. JAAA must learn to run their website like a business, it has the potential of any business in JA. They don’t have to manufacture anything.
One of the things I like about America, is they will find a way to sell you the wind, trees, anything. Do you know that bottled water is the greatest earning per cost of any product. Think about it. A litre of water cost around $3US at the store. How much did it cost to produce?
bunny, ur correct & i must add my 2c worth is that they continue 2 follow up this foolishnish them can 4get about the persons who is waiting in the wings 2 contribute. this is a recipe 4 disaster @ all angles
minnie you and BunnyG mark hard…
But at the end of the day, truth is truth and until they can prove otherwise we will not stop say certain things
The fact of the matter is that the JAAA made a serious mistake and breached its own rules when they sent out the recall of the athletes. The recall was itself a disciplinary action and the rules of the JAAA state that no such action can be taken without the athlete being given due process before a panel. The JAAA are now trying to go through the process as dictated by their rules but their earlier mistake, not to mention the absolute absence of any official document saying the camp was mandatory, will come back to haunt them on this.
the issues im having are (1) was there in fact something in writing which was sent 2 the athletes 2 attend the camp?
(2) is not today the jaaa has been having issues with some athletes as far as i can recall as far back as 1980’s jaaa has had issues with the athletes and so because of the lack of professionalism @ times by this association it leaves a very bitter taste in ones mouth. persons are willing 2 contribute 2 the association because of the fact that we are now training our athletes here &* they want to be a part of that but a problem will arise if a balance cannot acheived now between this association, coaches & athletes. lastly, if this problem persists, some person will just view them as a set of mascots who are unable to govern the sport
I have just scanned this article and what it is basically saying is that an athlete has no right to refuse to run. There are circumstances under which an athlete might deem it best not to perform. These are professional athletes, not high school athletes. If the athlete view is that his or her performance is detrimental to the team or his or her future, that athlete has a right to act according to the way he or she feels. Putting an athlete in a position to run a leg he or she is not prepared for is detrimental to the team. Putting an athlete to run a curve with injured toe is detrimental to the athlete and the team. I think Quarrie refuse to put this incident in the report not because of Veronica’s action but because of the way he handled situation as a manager. He is more concern about the way he will be exposed than about setting bad precedent.
This journalist is of the opinion that professional athletes are like children, obey the command of your teachers and parents, no question ask. I think the JAAA need to have athletes write report in combination with managers. Then both sides will have a chance to explain and defend their positions. By having athletes venting or giving their opinions, JAAA will have some understanding of where the organization can improve as a body. There has been history of managers behaving poorly and sometimes showing complete lack of integrity. Compulsory written reports by athletes whether anonymously or otherwise, will allow the organization to upgrade where they find management weaknesses; get rid of those who display lack of integrity; and in the long-term be better prepared to serve as managers and respond to issues.
Hmmm,…tst…tst…disciplinary actions or not. I can guarantee that we will see Part 3 of this drama again at the next world champs.
I am in total agreement with this article. I think that at a time like this where our country is magnified based on our performances, we are mandated to act in accordance with world standards. Consequently, the courses of actions which will be assumed as a result of persons’ actions will be watched closely by the world. More importantly, a standard needs to be set whereby no athlete and I mean NO athlete should be made to feel as though he or she is so elevated that he or she can be flippant in matters regarding the country’s wellbeing. I also think that even if athletes were asked to be at a camp and it was indeed a bad decision, the athletes were obliged, based on discipline, to attend and the repercussions suffered by the powers that be. I am in a role where the most assanign decisions are made by individuals who know nothing about my role but I am duty bound to do as I am told and allow their process to fail. This course of action opens the way for suggestions as to what is most effective.
I think Mr R Taylor, above, makes a valid point where he states that these are professional athletes but where he has faltered is where he hasnt advanced that their actions should display the said professionalism. I think that when these athletes are running in Golden leagues and other meets of similar calibre, they have the option of refusing to run, however, if you are being relied on to better the positioning of your country then your ego should not dictate whether you run or not.
I am a big fan of VCB but I am a bigger fan of discipline and I think that what she has done is nothing short of being OUT OF ORDER. LAWLESSNESS is what has dictated Jamaica for a long time and it is what generates the spiralling crime rate and it is the deterrent of persons like myself even thinking of repatriating. Have a nice day all and thanks for reading.
This article is a waste. We don’t need anymore drama. The 2010 season is almost upon us. One thing I know for sure is that the President of MVP already got on heads up on where the 2012 Olympic camp is going to be. They have approx. 3 1/2yr to make sure the MVP athletes are there at the start of the camp.
This is what happen when some people follow the rules and some people don’t. Eventually the other athletes are going to start complaining and start saying, them not going to be at the camp next time. Big belly Francis and Bruce James are the culprits. They playing games. MVP camp is the only camp that come with that crap all the time that they never know the camp is mandatory.
Starting in 2011, I think the JAAA have to make sure them hand deliver the memo to the MVP club representative and make sure them get a signature from the person who take the envelope with the memo so, they can’t say them never receive it, like they are saying about the email or snail mail.