Team Jamaica raided by Turkey as Rojé Stona and other field stars switch allegiances

One year after the field athletes for Team Jamaica stole the show and salvaged pride for an otherwise underwhelming Paris 2024 Olympics, some of them won’t represent the island anymore after stunningly switching allegiances to Türkiye.

According to multiple reports, Olympic gold medallist Rojé Stona, Olympic silver medallist Wayne Pinnock, Olympic bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell, and rising triple jump star Jaydon Hibbert will represent Türkiye at the international level. All four have completed the paperwork to make their respective switches. With the move, the quartet cannot represent Jamaica for the next three years, meaning they will compete for Türkiye for future world championships and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Money is a major incentive behind the move. Stona, Pinnock, Campbell and Hibbert will receive a US$500,000 signing bonus, monthly stipends and six-figure incentives should they earn podium finishes at major championships. Their switches to Türkiye were reportedly engineered by a top American sports agent with connections throughout athletics.

Team Jamaica Field Athletes Have Been Struggling for Support

Despite their success at major tournaments in recent years, field athletes have been increasingly vocal about not receiving adequate support from local authorities, from proper training facilities to financial aid. Campbell documented his struggles last summer, having to work at a Domino’s Pizza outlet in the U.S. to make ends meet. Meanwhile, world championship shotput medalist and one of Jamaica’s greatest field stars, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, also voiced her frustrations with the domestic setup following her struggles in Paris.

This isn’t the first time Türkiye has poached Team Jamaica athletes. Sprinters Jak Ali Harvey (formerly Jacques Harvey) and Emre Zafer Barnes (formerly Winston Barnes) set national records for the European nation and competed for them at the Olympics.