I was in my bed about to go to sleep and saw an article in the Jamaica Observer concerning the intervension by the IAAF in the matter of the JAAA versus MVP athletes. This is another shame on Jamaica. The JAAA alleges that the MVP athletes should have attended a mandatory camp in Berlin from August 6 - 11. However, Paul Doyle, who is the agent for the MVP camp said that there was no such agreemnt. The JAAA then proceeded to write the IAAF informing them that the MVP athletes would be barred from the World Championships. However, the IAAF stepped in yesterday, stating that in the interest of the sport and the WC, they were asking the JAAA to allow the athletes to compete. President of the JAAA, Howard Aris indicated in a meeting held with the IAAF that they would allow them to do this.

Now what type of non-sense is this. This is totally crazy, JADCO now this. Have Jamaican officials lost their screws. Asafa Powell summed it up correctly in an interview when he said, "It's just really bad how our own country was fighting us down and someone else had to stop it. I honestly wasn't worried, I more felt bad about the whole situation because my own people were fighting me off (the team) and I've been in this thing for a while now."

We had seen reports earlier that coach of the MVP camp indicated that the facilities of the Berlin camp were sub-standard, not even having hurdles or weights room. Now in this day and age, who would select a camp without these basic amenities.

It is quite surprising that in this day and age that Jamaica has sunk to this low. All these athletes are professionals, why do they need to be a a Berlin camp to jell? They have been competing at Grand Prixs and other major events up to this point. Why do they need to train with these other athletes? and without their coach who is not a member of the Jamaica Panel at the WC. Why is it that Jamaica has to look like a bunch of unprofessional cry babies in front of the whole world. If the JADCO debacle wasn't enough, now this.

I can only hope that the MVP athletes can build up the motivation to run, not for the JAAA, but for the people of Jamaica who stand behind them. We cannot allow this type of stuff to belittle our people. We are a proud people, and other sportsmen work very hard to raise the Jamaican flag.
The JAAA and the MVP camp need to sit down and work out their problems, instead of washing their dirty laundry in front of the world.

No wonder they call us third world....