I AM APPALLED and embar-rassed at the actions of certain members of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) and the officers of the MVP Track Club, for their handling of the incident where some members of the aforementioned club failed to attend the JAAA so-called man-datory training camp in Berlin.

It is also bothersome to see how they aired their dirty laundry to the international media for the world to see, and in the process exhibited the disdain they have for each other.

Preparation

The same thing happened last year in preparation for the Beijing Olympics, when MVP head coach Stephen Francis refused to send his charges to the camp. On the surface, it appears that Francis is the perpetrator, but there has to be an underlying reason for his objection to camps run by other coaches selected by the JAAA. One would think that he felt snubbed by the JAAA because he was not selected as one of the coaches, but by all accounts it doesn't seem that he would be interested, based on his resentment for the JAAA.

No one can question his ability as a coach, especially with the success he has had at last year's Olympics, and again, members of the MVP Track Club are an integral part of the team. But kicking the athletes off the team is not the right way to address the problem. Both sides need to sit down and settle their differences, because if this is not done the same problem will happen again.

The true victims of this fiasco are the athletes who have put in so much training for this occasion. It would be so sad to see these high-profile athletes not get a chance to compete, especially after coming of the success of the Olympics.

I am, etc.,

Conrod Tucker

conrod.tucker@rogers.com

Brampton

Canada