Jamaican officials slam treatment at Carifta

As of Friday, April 6, 2018

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

JAMAICAN officials have blasted the Bahamas' hosting of the Carifta Games, claiming their team was treated unprofessionally.

This was reported Wednesday by Television Jamaica, a media company in that country.

Specific allegations were not mentioned, but Machel Woolery, head coach of Jamaica's track and field team, said: "It was difficult for us to really overcome the officials and the way how they operate. We don't use to officials operate in that unprofessional manner but such is life (sic)."

Organisers reportedly ran out of medals to give top-three finishers.

Christopher Taylor, Jamaica's team captain and under-20 200m gold medalist, said: "The only disappointment is I did not get a medal for the 4x4 because they're saying that they ran out of medals. And it's Carifta, why would they run out of medals? And it's my last Carifta, so I was hoping to come back to Jamaica with three gold medals."

Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Michael Pintard and The Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations did not respond to The Tribune's requests for comment before press time.

birdiestrachan 6 years ago

Pintard does not know what he is doing

Cas0072 6 years ago

No specific allegations and only Jamaica complaining about the so called lack of professionalism? So typical. Jamaicans stay bashing the Bahamas and insisting that Jamaica is a role model country. Provide details of the so called mistreatment or shut up. Bruising his ego does not count.

ThisIsOurs 6 years ago

It's possible Jamaica's the only team affected since they got the lions share of the medals. If the Bahamas team had encountered similar circumstances in Jamaica I'm pretty sure what the Bahamian public would be saying. Things happen, things go wrong they could have avoided some of the backlash by setting expectations for the athletes and the coaches, the shipment is late, we have x medals in hand, were short y medals. We expect the balance to arrive on x date, once they arrive we'll forward to the receiving team within x days.

It's just setting expectations.

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