The People’s National Party (PNP) describes the revelation that two elite Jamaican athletes and Olympic medallists, Rojé Stona and Rajindra Campbell, have switched allegiance to Turkey as highly concerning, as it poses a potential threat to the future of Jamaican track and field.

The PNP outlined that the government and the nation’s sporting authorities must accept full responsibility and immediately move to ensure no further repetition.

The PNP emphasises that the government and the nation’s sporting authorities must accept full responsibility and act immediately to prevent any further occurrences.

The party describes the athletes’ departure as a serious loss for Jamaica and a direct consequence of the government’s chronic failure to promulgate a national sports policy, which would support and retain elite talent, particularly in non-traditional sporting disciplines.

The PNP has pointed out that the National Sports Council has not met since 2016, and indicated that this represents a nearly decade-long period of inertia at the highest level of sports governance.

“Despite repeated calls for stakeholder engagement and strategic policymaking, the government has consistently failed to act. During this time, while our athletes have continued to excel on the global stage, the government has done little to build sustainable support systems or expand investment in their development,” the PNP said.

Wavell Hinds, spokesperson on sports, said this is not just about two athletes, it’s about the collapse of a system that refuses to plan, invest, or modernise. “When our best talents feel they have no choice but to represent another flag, it means something is fundamentally broken,” he said.

The spokesperson has also noted that the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) and CHASE Fund, both of which were established under a PNP administration to empower the sports sector, continue to be spent down without any strategic growth or reinvestment.

“The JLP government has not expanded these funds or introduced new initiatives to meet the evolving needs of our athletes. Jamaican sports needs more than applause and photo opportunity, it needs real leadership, a clear policy direction, and deep respect for the people who wear our colours,” Hinds added.

Hinds revealed that the next PNP government will reconvene the National Sports Council within the first 100 days to:

• Conduct a full review of current funding allocations and their impact.
• Establish a comprehensive national sports policy with meaningful input from athletes, coaches, and local associations.
• Invest in athlete welfare, development pathways, and modern training infrastructure.

The PNP outlined that Jamaica must not become a sporting farm for other nations to reap the benefits. “The black, green and gold must once again represent a country where athletes feel supported, valued, and inspired to achieve greatness, not just at the finish line, but from their first throw, jump, or stride,” the party said.

JAAA still awaiting documents to confirm mass exodus of athletes switching to Turkey – Our Today