JOA set to give diaspora a voice

The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) has announced a historic overhaul of its governance structure, moving to give the Jamaican diaspora a permanent, formalised voice in the nation’s Olympic administration.

JOA President Christopher Samuda made the disclosure while addressing the ninth anniversary and installation ceremony of the Kiwanis Club of Friends Across Borders on Sunday.

In what could be a groundbreaking move in international sports governance, Samuda said the organisation will propose a constitutional amendment at its upcoming general congress to allocate a fixed number of non-voting directorial seats to diaspora leaders based in cities that have previously hosted the Olympic Games.

He said the initiative recognises the diaspora’s growing influence and contribution, not only through the increasing number of athletes representing Jamaica internationally, but also through significant financial and commercial support.

To qualify, diaspora representatives will be required to hold Jamaican citizenship and adhere to established Olympic protocols.

“Yes, a growing number of our sportsmen and women who are representing us in various Olympic sports are hailing from the diaspora and, yes, financial and commercial support and inflows into the country have gone beyond Western Union portals. The JOA will be deepening our bond, and establishing an umbilical connection, with our fellow citizens in the diaspora. Yes, a Jamaican passport, citizenship, will be required and other protocols of the Olympic movement; but stay tuned, history is in the making,” the JOA boss said.

Samuda emphasised that geographic boundaries do not diminish national identity, declaring that members of the diaspora remain ‘black, green, and gold’ regardless of where they reside.

The proposed constitutional changes come as the JOA finalises a major commercial sporting complex at its Cunningham Avenue headquarters.

“And, indeed, the JOA is, as I speak, foretelling a new commercial concept in the business of sport as the structure that we are now building and completing at 9 Cunningham Avenue. It will not be simply a standalone office, but will be a sporting complex that will house, in the first phase; a retail sport going concern; a health and wellness station; a chancery where sporting greats will be honoured; a restaurant where sport will break bread; conference facilities; and, if He blesses us, the second phase will birth a museum and commercial dormitories. The infrastructure of sport. The commercialisation of sport. The revolution in sport,” said Samuda.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Paralympic Association (JPA), which is also headed by Samuda, has entered discussions with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean regarding funding for a state-of-the-art High Performance Centre of Excellence.

“And yes, the Jamaica Paralympic Association is foretelling the construction of a profit High Performance Centre of Excellence with medical and conference facilities which will serve both para and able-bodied athletes, and in which several indoor sports will be engaged; for we, at the Jamaica Paralympic Association, have initiated discussions with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean to be a partner in that historic move, and we have approached the Government to be the enabler, to be the beneficiary of funds,” Samuda revealed.

Samuda also renewed calls for a pension plan for national sportsmen and women to complement the national health plan implemented in 2016.

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com