Minister Natalie Neita Headley Applauds JAAA For The Launch Of Its Athletes’ Development Fund

The Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, Minister with Responsibility for Sport in the Office of the Prime Minister has expressed gratitude to the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) for today launching its revised Athletes’ Development Fund which will allow a total of eighty four (84) eligible national athletes to receive monthly stipends of J$60,000 (Tier 1) or J$30,000 (Tier 2).

“There is no disputing that the JAAA has for several years provided significant contribution toward the welfare and development of a vast number of our athletes for personal upkeep and medical treatment. However, this revised programme will allow for greater transparency and a more sustainable source of funds to assist our athletes as they prepare for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games,” said Minister Neita Headley.

The Government of Jamaica, through the Sports Development Foundation has made available an additional Forty Two Million Dollars (J$42M) to the JAAA in order to support this Fund.

The athletes were selected based on certain criteria such as an annual income threshold which would include earnings from contracts, endorsements and performance.  Additionally, athletes benefiting from other support programmes such as the Olympic Solidarity Programme would not also benefit under this Fund.

“While the JAAA has included among its other conditions for participation, a written commitment by each participating athlete to continue to adhere to the JAAA’s Code of Conduct, to continue to uphold integrity in sport and to regularly participate in JADCO’s Anti-Doping Education seminars and activities, we wish to encourage all our national athletes to also remain committed to these conditions,” said the Minister.

Tier 1 comprises athletes who have attained the IAAF qualifying times/distances in their particular disciplines while Tier 2 comprises athletes who are actively training but have not yet achieved these standards. The list includes locally and internationally based athletes.

As the JAAA fine-tunes its list of eligible athletes for the programme it has stated its willingness to consider appeals/applications from athletes who believe that they should have been included in the select list.