World Athletics blocks Jamaica stars’ switch to Türkiye in Olympic shake-up

Jamaica's track and field fraternity has been rocked by a dramatic ruling from World Athletics, which has shut down a high-profile bid by four of the island's top field athletes to switch allegiance to Turkiye in a move the governing body says is part of a wider recruitment drive.

In a decision that has sent shockwaves through the sport, the organisation's Nationality Review Panel blocked the proposed transfers of Rajindra Campbell, Jaydon Hibbert, Wayne Pinnock, and Roje Stona, halting their plans to compete for the European nation ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.

The ruling did not stop at Jamaica. Seven other athletes from Kenya, Nigeria, and Russia were also affected, with World Athletics making it clear that the applications were too similar to be treated as isolated cases.

In a strongly worded statement, the body said the transfers formed part of what it viewed as a coordinated effort by Turkiye to recruit elite athletes, warning that such moves threaten the integrity of international competition.

"The panel considered that approval of these applications would impinge upon and compromise the imperatives underlying the rules," the statement said, stressing that national teams should not be "primarily assembled through external recruitment".

The decision brings a sudden halt to a saga that has been quietly building since late 2024, when reports first surfaced that Turkiye was targeting top Jamaican athletes with lucrative offers, including financial incentives, enhanced training support, and fast-tracked citizenship.

The developments had already raised alarm within Jamaica, with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association warning that the aggressive recruitment of locally developed talent could undermine the country's sporting pipeline and give an unfair edge on the global stage.

Now, with the transfers blocked, the affected athletes are left in limbo, unable to represent Turkiye at major championships despite reportedly committing to the switch.

While they may still compete in one-day meets or road races, they remain sidelined from representing the country internationally under current rules.

- Janet Silvera

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