Aneisha Ingram of Edwin Allen High wins gold in the girls' Steeplechase OPEN 7:11.17 at Champs2019
Aneisha Ingram of Edwin Allen High wins gold in the girls' Steeplechase OPEN 7:11.17 at Champs2019

A decision on whether Boys and Girls Athletics Championships will be held this month will be known within 24 hours.

Jamaica’s Minister of Health & Wellness Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton made the disclosure during a press conference at the RKA Building in New Kingston on Tuesday afternoon (10 March).

“There is a meeting scheduled between the organizers, the minister of sports, the minister of education and myself, the main sponsor GraceKennedy where a decision will be taken,” he said.

The Minister said, “that decision should be taken during 24 hours.”

“The fact that we now have a case, needless to say, an imported case, it does elevate the concerns as it relates to public gathering,” he added.

The fast-spreading coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting international sports events around the globe. Several sporting events have been cancelled or postponed.

Dr Warren Blake, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), on Sunday, said its possible this year’s Boys and Girls Athletics Championships, Champs, could be held without spectators.

“If it comes before these events, the health authorities will have to sit down, look at the number of cases, where they are, and take the serious decision whether to allow a crowd like the size of Champs to come together, to put 35,000 people into our National Stadium when some of them might be infected,” Blake told Trackalerts.com.

Jamaica has since confirmed one case.


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27 COMMENTS

  1. @Nicardo Arsenal Beckford but even with no spectators the kids interact with each other. Still the likelihood of spreading.

  2. As much as how I would love for it to keep our health comes first. Cancel it until it’s safe for a mass gathering.

  3. @Muggie Thebuilder Kat, you also have to look at it from the standpoint of it being an opportunity for athletes to showcase their talents, to different college and university recruiters.

  4. @Everton S. Jackson the effort and swag wouldn’t be there, the athletes put in extra effort for a the crowd.

  5. So wait deh …who a go take part ? Spectators or no spectators now that it is here isn’t everyone a potential carrier?

  6. Champs can’t go on without spectators as spectators is what makes champs. So cancel it till a later date to avoid any outbreak

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