President of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Christopher Samuda has called on national shot put champion Danniel Thomas-Dodd to retract statements she made about the purported lack of support for field athletes.

Thomas-Dodd blasted the JOA and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) in an emotional interview at the Paris Olympics, alleging that their lack of support was a contributing factor to her failing to qualify for the shot put finals.

Responding to Thomas-Dodd’s claim, Samuda said in an interview with Nationwide TV reporter Wayne Walker: “I can quite understand why Danielle is a bit disappointed. It is twice now that she has not made the finals, so I can understand the emotion around it, but we have to understand the facts.

“Danielle has been the beneficiary of an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship for four years now by virtue of the JOA supporting her.”

In dismissing the allegation that field event athletes do not get the support of the JOA, Samuda listed some other recipients of the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship (OSS), which include Discus throwers Fedrick Dacres, Kai Chang, and O’Dayne Richards, “and I could go on”, he said.

“It is very unfortunate that Danniel, knowing the facts, would have created an impression of the JOA not helping its throwers… it is absolutely unfair for her to say that… I am not going to tell you how much money she got and this is in US,” he noted.

“People must speak the truth, and we must allow them to speak the truth rather than it coming from another party. So, I am inviting the very reporter, who in fact, interviewed her to go back and ask her.

“I would like her to go and perhaps recant because the JOA is taking this very seriously, and if you are conveying an impression that is not so, I think you have the responsibility to correct it immediately,” he added.

Samuda suggested that the reporter should have challenged Thomas-Dodd’s responses which, he said would have revealed that the JOA had done its part by providing her with access to the scholarship meant to assist with her athletic needs, including coaching.

Samuda did not address the issue of why Thomas-Dodd did not have her coach with her for two-and-a-half weeks at the games, which was also her main point of contention.

Meanwhile, in response to Thomas-Dodd’s statements, retired Jamaican sprinter, Warren Weir took to X.com to voice his grievances with both the JAAA and JOA.

“F*ck it. I’m sick of JAAA now. Documents coming out soon,” he wrote. “Unno think me forget how when Kerron Stewart’s mother came to the Olympic village to look for her daughter in 2012 only to find out that her name that was approved days ago had been removed and every name that was on the list was last name of management staff. HEY BOY, CAREFUL ENUH (sic).”

Weir has posted to X a string of messages against both organisations, while backing Thomas-Dodd.