The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has clarified its guidelines regarding athlete participation in relay practices for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
Athletes selected for the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay pools must attend scheduled practices or risk being excluded from the relay competitions.
“It is a condition for selection that the athletes selected for the relay pool should make themselves available when required for relay practice. Athletes who fail to make themselves available may not be allowed to participate in the competition,” the JAAA stated in a document circulated among stakeholders.
A standard practice by the JAAA
Lincoln Eatmon, chairman of the selection committee, emphasized that the “competition” referred to in the document pertains specifically to the relay events and not the Olympic Games as a whole. He pointed out that this requirement is a standard practice by the JAAA and is not a new implementation.
“The requirement to make themselves available for relay practice is a JAAA requirement,” Eatmon explained. “Following the JAAA National Senior Championships at the National Stadium from June 27-30, there will be consultations to work out suitable schedules for relay practice.”
Eatmon elaborated that the technical staff and team management would collaborate with the coaches and managers of athletes to set dates for relay practices before the training camp in Germany. Relay practices will also be held during the training camp and while the team is in the Olympic Village.
A maximum of five athletes
Donald Quarrie, who is set to manage Jamaica’s team for the Games, confirmed that World Athletics has specified that each country participating in the relays in Paris may use a maximum of five athletes.
“The National Olympic Committees (NOCs) may enter one team for each relay event. A total of five athletes may be entered for a relay team,” World Athletics outlined. “Should a NOC have entered a relay team and individual athletes in the corresponding individual event (100m and 400m), the entered individual athletes must be included in the total of five athletes entered for the relay events. In addition, NOCs can nominate a maximum of one alternate athlete for each team,” World Athletics continued.
Quarrie clarified that the alternates, who are non-competing athletes, are not included within the athletes’ quota.
