Senator Don Wehby, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GraceKennedy Group, has declared that his company is willing to do what it can to help young athletes display civil behavior.
The GraceKennedy Group CEO made the declaration on live television on Saturday’s final day of the five-day track and field extravaganza inside Kingston’s National Stadium.
He was reacting to two incidents of indiscipline by athletes which had occurred earlier in the meet.
In one incident, St Mary’s College Te-Var Hammond exhibited a gun gesture as he overtook his Dinthill Technical High School rival Javier Morrison approaching the finish line in the 1500m decathlon event, and Kingston College’s Nicardo Clarke was suspended from the championships after twice barging into Calabar’s Khamani Gordon after the latter had impeded him in the Class Two 100m final on Wednesday where he finished fifth.
The aggrieved youngster had attempted to reengage Gordon but had to be restrained or the incident might have escalated even farther. Clarke was later reinstated after an appeal.
GraceKennedy Group is the title sponsor of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships and has allocated $175 million to the 2023 edition, $81m in cash and the rest in execution, through its subsidiaries Grace Foods, Grace Money Services and First Global.
This sum is a huge increase from the $88 million invested at the 2022 edition and GraceKennedy Group has agreed to continue sponsoring the event until at least 2025.
“I’m willing to invest in any exercise that will enhance discipline at the Champs level,” Senator Wehby said, before adding that he understands emotions and also that young people are involved but said there has to be boundaries.
“We’re not going to be associated with Champs if indiscipline continues and there were two incidents that I am very, very concerned about,” Don Wehby said.
The former Champs athlete said the incident involving the gun gesture was brought to his attention on social media but admitted that he had not yet seen any video of the incident involving Clarke and Gordon. As such, the CEO said it may be premature to address that incident.
“But what I would say to you is that Don Wehby feels personally strong about it and GraceKennedy [as well]. We’re not putting up with any indiscipline. I prefer not to be associated with Champs than have indiscipline,” Don Wehby warned.
The Senator said he has given the matter some thought and has spoken to the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) President Keith Wellington about it. He insisted that it was an issue for ISSA rather than the sponsors to deal with.
“I don’t know what their policy is in terms of discipline but what I will say is that it’s a bigger issue than Champs. It is a social issue that we’re facing in Jamaica, but GraceKennedy as sponsors, we can lead an effort in terms of having discipline here.”
He added that he will be calling a meeting with ISSA as soon as the championships end to get a better understanding of its policy as it relates to discipline.
“But what I can say to Jamaica is that GraceKennedy prefers to not be associated [with Champs] despite all of this glory if it’s associated with indiscipline.”
Meanwhile, GraceKennedy Group has issued the following statement after the two incidents threatened to tarnish the image of Champs 2023.
“GraceKennedy has noted images and videos circulating in traditional media and online, depicting a young male athlete making a violent hand gesture upon winning a race at the 2023 Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships, currently being held at the National Stadium.”
“We have engaged ISSA regarding the applicable policies governing such actions, and what steps are being taken to address the incident and prevent a recurrence.”
“GraceKennedy takes this opportunity to publicly state that we reject all forms of violence, and any gestures which may instigate violent acts, at Champs or otherwise.”
“We also take this opportunity to remind all Champs participants, spectators, and supporters to let true sportsmanship and good camaraderie be the order of the day.”
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