Four top Jamaican athletes, including 2024 Olympic men’s discus champion Roje Stona, have had their requests to switch allegiance to Turkey rejected by the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel.

The others are shot putter Rajindra Campbell, triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert and long jumper Wayne Pinnock.

Also affected are Nigeria’s Favour Ofili, Russia’s Sophia Yakushina, and Kenya’s Catherine Relin Amanang’ole, Brian Kibor, Brigid Kosgei, Ronald Kwemoi, and Nelvin Jepkemboi.

In announcing the decision on Thursday, the panel said approving the applications would undermine the intent of World Athletics’ eligibility and transfer-of-allegiance rules. It found the requests were part of a coordinated recruitment effort by the Turkish government, operating through a state-funded club, offering lucrative contracts to attract foreign athletes and enable them to compete for Turkey at major events, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Given the common features across the applications, the panel reviewed them collectively and concluded the approach conflicted with the sport’s core principles. It said these principles are designed to safeguard the credibility of international competition, encourage member federations to invest in the development of domestic talent and maintain confidence among athletes that national teams are not primarily assembled through external recruitment.

“As a result of the decisions, the athletes are not eligible to represent Turkey in national representative competitions or other relevant international events. The panel noted, however, that this does not prevent the athletes from competing in one-day meetings or road races in a personal or club capacity, or from living and training in Turkey,” the World Athletics added.

World Athletics’ transfer of allegiance regulations govern the conditions under which an athlete may represent a member federation in international competition. While citizenship is a starting point, additional criteria are applied to ensure a genuine connection between the athlete and the country they represent and to protect the integrity, credibility and development of the sport globally.

The Nationality Review Panel is responsible for determining applications relating to athlete eligibility and transfers of allegiance, in accordance with these regulations.

The Jamaican athletes were reported to have completed the documentation to become Turkish citizens, lured by lucrative financial gains in 2025.

 

The move was widely viewed as a significant blow to Jamaica’s athletics programme, particularly as they are the faces of the improving field event programme.

In response, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association indicated it would raise the issue with the sport’s global governing body. The World Athletics Nationality Review Panel has now returned its decision.

 

Usain Bolt and Hublot have partnered to release a limited-edition timepiece bearing tributes to the legendary sprinter. Only 200 versions of the Hublo…

 

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP)—Lionel Messi has bought Catalan club Cornella and become the team’s new owner, the Spanish fifth-tier side announced on Thursda…

 

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Jamaican reggae and dancehall superstars, including 450, Popcaan, Dexta Daps and Sister Nancy, will take the stage along with B…

 

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — St Elizabeth police have activated a high alert for a British six-year-old girl whose mother says she has been abducted by her…

 

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Noted sports lawyer Dr Emir Crowne has questioned the procedural fairness of World Athletics’ decision on Thursday to refuse the t…

 

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Mt Pleasant FA moved to within a point of securing an early play-off spot in the Jamaica Premier League after coming from behind t…

 

WASHINGTON, United States(AFP)—The United States will blockade Iranian ports for “as long as it takes,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursda…

 

Seven other international athletes blocked from switching allegiances

Four top Jamaican athletes, including 2024 Olympic men’s discus champion Roje Stona, have had their requests to switch allegiance to Turkey rejected b…

 

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)—Bernardo Silva will leave Manchester City at the end of the season, the Premier League club announced  on Thursday as the…

 

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—Football fans have expressed outrage at the exorbitant price of transit fares to get to World Cup matches, following r…