The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has a lot of answering to do. It has been just a month since Nayoka Clunis’ bid to compete in the Paris Olympics crumbled before her eyes. The reason? “Unfortunate omission” of her name when the JAAA submitted their list of athletes to the World Athletics as part of the quota system. Now, just a day before the Jamaican track and field unit travels to Paris, the selection team has put the World Championship silver medalist Kemba Nelson, a collegiate record holder from the University of Oregon, in a bit of a funk.

Kemba, who relocated to America shortly after finishing at Mount Alvernia High School of Montego Bay, Jamaica, was initially included on the roster presented by the JAAA for the 4X100 relay at the Paris Olympics. But, she later learned that the same authority overturned its decision, removing her from the list. She put a series of X statuses, beginning with this one, “Won’t be in Paris (Olympics) [heart break emoji]”. In fact, she reposted this, to highlight her current state of helplessness: 

She added, “I just hate that I accepted it, then they added my name, then now I’m not needed at the moment? Oh ok.” As one of the 66 athletes entrusted to represent Jamaica across 17 track and field events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she was selected as a part of the relay team event after she finished fifth in the 100m race in 11.14 seconds in the qualifying final. This meant she had no chance of featuring in the final lineup heading to the Paris Olympics. However, Kemba didn’t have to endure the disappointment for long, as she received good news on July 14.  

It was Kemba Nelson’s game day at the World Continental Challenge meet, and she secured third place in the 100m. This podium finish brought even more good news: the JAAA informed her she had been named as the reserve for the 4x100m relay team, which already includes stars like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson. However, the moments of joy were short-lived.

Kemba was just 17 when she and her mother were in talks with Utech (a university in Kingston.) That’s where Kemba developed the work ethic and discipline—waking up an hour before her morning practice at 5:30, then had her classes, only to work out some more afterward, followed by evening practice. That’s where she met Fraser-Pryce who was an alumnus of the same institute.

Two years at the university got her a reputation as a promising young athlete. By the time she began her career with the Ducks, she was a national winner in both 100m and 200m in the 2019 Jamaican U20 Championships. But there were uncertainties and anxieties as her close friend Aysha-Simone Brown once disclosed, “Naturally, she grew up in Jamaica all of her life, so she had some anxiety due to uncertainty of what lies ahead. Just to go with an open mind. It was a mix of emotions.” And her name getting revoked after what could have been a game-changing season certainly puts a damper on things.

Surprisingly, this move came after Nayoka Clunis saw her plea rejected by the ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).  Clunis wanted the CAS to hear her case against the JAAA after an administrative error by the local body left her name off the list of qualifiers for the Olympic Games. However, on July 22, after reviewing the timeline of events, CAS cited that they do not have jurisdiction to hear the matter as the dispute arose outside the 10-day window for disputes relating to the Olympic Games.

Is JAAA pushing athletes and coaches to the limit of switching national teams?

Nayoka Clunis had applied to grant her entry to the Jamaican hammer-throwing team for the Paris Olympics. Previously, the JAAA failed to put her name on the roster even after the athlete’s qualification. She made several submissions to the athletic body to rectify the list, but it only extended the dates. That left her with no option except to knock on the door of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). However, after facing rejection from the legal body, the national champion has nowhere to turn. She confessed on X,

“People I’m in vulnerable state with my emotions so please read with understanding. Mr Crowne and Bernard did my case to CAS AD HOC pro bono. Grateful!”

Commenting on the CAS ruling, JAAA expressed regret and said they are still working to get to Paris. “At all times we (JAAA) have been supportive of the athlete’s participation at the Olympic Games and in fact had petitioned World Athletics to include her in the list of participating athletes even if it meant increasing the number of participants to 33. World Athletics did not alter their position of 32 participants but maintained that if any vacancy arises it would be allocated to her.”

The statement further read, “Again, we are deeply saddened that this situation continues and are making every effort in the hope that World Athletics and the IOC will find a way to enable Ms Clunis to compete in the Olympics.”

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Olympic Association has criticized the administrative body for several reasons, including the fact that JAAA is sending just 14 officials to accompany the Jamaican team, three less than what was requested. Renowned coach Glen Mills, who was opted out from the officials list, didn’t sugarcoat his arguments a tad with an open warning.

“It is a disgrace that the Jamaica Olympic Association denies track and field the benefit of the required numbers,” Mills said during a JAAA’s press conference last month. “Seventeen persons for a team of 65-70 athletes is totally inadequate. I know that and I have been there and I have done that.

“If it is forced that I recognize the necessity for other coaches who have numerous athletes, I could have gone to the Olympics with other countries. I was offered two full accreditations, full funding, but I could never see myself wearing another country’s [colors], but if I am forced to, then I will have to.”

Notably, Kemba Nelson’s issue closely resonates with that of Omar McLeod, who faced exclusion ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The 2016 Olympic champion called JAAA’s decision to not let him defend his title as absurd. McLeod said his team exhausted every possible avenue of appeal. Speaking about the incident at the time, he said that despite winning the semi-final at the national championships, he was forced to run in the finals the following morning even after complaining of cramps. However, after coming eighth he wasn’t considered for selection.

It remains to be seen how JAAA tackles the recent situations as they have not done their reputation any favors.