Jamaica asks to withdraw Asafa, Fraser and 4 others from Worlds

[daryn]

BERLIN (AP) -- The Jamaican team asked track's governing body to withdraw six athletes, including former 100-meter world-record holder Asafa Powell and two Olympic gold medalists, from the world championships entry list Wednesday in an apparent dispute over training camp attendance.

IAAF secretary general Pierre Weiss said the request was made early Wednesday but didn't disclose a reason. The Jamaican athletics federation has been in a dispute with several athletes over a training camp for worlds.

The other athletes are 100 Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, 400 hurdles Olympic gold medalist Melaine Walker, hurdler Brigitte Foster-Hylton, sprinter Shericka Williams and 400 runner Kaliese Spence.

The request could be rescinded because the final entry list has to be with organizers 48 hours before the opening event. The worlds start Saturday in Berlin, and the withdrawals will only become official at midday Thursday.

Jamaican officials attending the IAAF congress declined to immediately comment.

Any such pullout would seriously undermine Jamaica's chances of maintaining its domination over the United States in the sprint events that it established at last year's Beijing Olympics.

After capturing five of six sprint events in Beijing with the U.S. winless, Jamaica's rise had been expected to be a key theme at the worlds.

Even though three-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt is not directly affected by the decision, a sprint relay team without Powell is expected to be weaker. Powell ran the anchor leg in Beijing as Jamaica set a world record, one of three for Bolt at the games.

The Jamaican federation also asked the IAAF to ban the withdrawn runners from the athletes village.

Earlier this week, Jamaican Amateur Athletic Association president Howard Aris warned the athletes that they would miss worlds unless they appear at a training camp outside Berlin.

Original article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/08/12/powell.ap/index.html#ixzz0NyjwIuKz

[Aviator]

This was some "dick" swinging taken to the max, but the JAAA has rescinded the withdrawal request.

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/display_article.php?id=34960

[Aviator]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8194447.stm


Jamaican stars cleared for Berlin

ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Venue: Olympic Stadium, Berlin Date: 15-23 August
Coverage: Watch the action live and highlights on BBC Two, BBC HD, Red Button, Radio 5 live and the BBC Sport website (video for UK users only)
Full BBC coverage details
Asafa Powell
Powell recently came sixth in the 100m at the London Grand Prix

Five top Jamaican runners including Asafa Powell have been cleared to compete in the World Championships, Powell's agent Paul Doyle has claimed.

Powell, Olympic champions Shelly-Ann Fraser and Melaine Walker, plus Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Shericka Williams, had missed team training.

That prompted the national federation to consider taking them off the team.

But Doyle stated the Jamaican Amateur Athletic Association had a change of heart over the affair.

He said: "The JAAA submitted a letter to the International Association of Athletics Federations asking for the athletes to be relieved from the starting lists.

"Some discussions happened and the Jamaican federation sent another letter asking that their earlier letter be withdrawn. Removing the athletes was not good for anybody. If the athletes don't get to run, everybody loses."

Powell, 26, had earlier said the internal dispute was harming the team, claiming: "For the federation to be fighting your own athletes does not make sense."
   
606: DEBATE
The JAAA should ban all MVP athletes. The same thing happens at the Olympics last year

djkbrown2001

The former 100m world record holder said the five athletes, who are coached by Stephen Francis at the Maximising Velocity Power (MVP) Track Club, did not know they had to attend the Nuremberg camp.

"We did not know the camp was mandatory," said Powell. "We decided to make a change this year and treat this championship like a normal track meeting. I guess that caused all the problem.

He also said the federation had been at odds with Francis for some time.

Powell is considered to be one of the potential challengers to fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt, the triple Olympic gold medallist and 100m and 200m world record holder, for a gold medal in Berlin.

[Deeks]

Hot air!!! Hot air!!!!

[A.B.]

Pappy show.

[willi]

Don is don

Donovan is Donovan.

[Dutty]

Don is don

Donovan is Donovan.

  ah never hear dat one before...ah hadda start usin it on dem yardie ah does lime wit

[A.B.]

I hear IAAF prez DIACK cuss everyone in JAAA and poof - everything back to normal. Is 6 medals MVP got in Beijing.....let's get serious lol.

[willi]

Don is don

Donovan is Donovan.

  ah never hear dat one before...ah hadda start usin it on dem yardie ah does lime wit

Is from a popular song from the 1990s. Ninjaman...the autical Don. LoL

"All dem ah talk bout Don, Nuff ah dem ah Donovan"