Jamaica's team manager explains reason behind exclusion of top sprinter from Olympic team

Jamaica's Athletics Team Manager at the Olympic Games Ludlow Watts has addressed the issue about Kemba Nelson being dropped from the team to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The former world silver medallist confirmed that she would not be going to Paris for the Olympics after she was snubbed by the Jamaican officials.

She was heartbroken to share the news, noting that she was informed the news just a day before the team left for Paris, France.

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“Won't be in Paris. 2021 my name reach inna Gleaner only fi get call days before the team fi leave say dem nah bring me,” she wrote in a post.

“Fast forward 2024, team leaving tomorrow and dem say dem nuh need me right now,” the Commonwealth Games silver medallist said.

Reacting to the news, Watts noted that every athlete knew their position in the team and was aware that alternate athletes would not be going to Paris, unless they had been entered in the relay team.

He added that the Olympics unlike the World Championships, only allows the accurate number of athletes in the Olympic village and the Jamaican Olympic Committee would be forced to cater for the extra athletes.

“All the athletes knew their status and I don’t think if there was an athlete who didn’t know their status…the problem with AP (Alternate athlete) in the Olympics is that you cannot stay in the village whereas in the World Championships, the money will have been paid for the reserves,” he said.

“In the Olympics, other expenses will have to be catered for by the Olympics association. There was no case where nobody didn’t know their status. The only time we would use them is a relay situation and by tomorrow we will know exactly certain things that would be changed,” he added.