British-born Ebony Drysdale-Daley (left) in action for Jamaica.
Jamaica’s British-born judoka Ebony Drysdale-Daley has accused the Jamaican Judo Association (JJA) of bias where selection for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games is concerned, as she believes her path to qualification is deliberately being blocked by the powers that be.
With only one judo spot available to Jamaica for the upcoming Games, Drysdale-Daley, who became the country’s first athlete to compete in judo at an Olympic Games, when she graced the 2021 Tokyo edition, argued that she is now being overlooked by the association since her male counterpart Ashley McKenzie came in the picture.
McKenzie, who was also born in England, and won a silver medal at last year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, currently occupies the coveted spot, as he is nine points ahead of Drysdale-Daley.
It is on that basis why Drysdale-Daley, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, alleges that her self-funded effort to attend a qualifying event in an attempt to possibly overhaul McKenzie is being hindered by the association's hierarchy.
“I feel the federation has shown no impartiality. I feel there is a real question of ethics, a real question of integrity. The Jamaican Judo association is blocking me from attending and competing in my last qualifying event, an event that I have self-funded and paid for. They (the JJA) told me that they weren't going to help finance, even though when I was in qualifying position, a fund was in reserve to help athletes in that position. But I never questioned that, I did my best to crowdfund and work for it,” Drysdale-Daley shared in a widely-circulated video lasting almost four minutes.
“They have removed me from competition registry. The Jamaican Judo Association had initially registered me for this event, now they have removed me. I feel there are clear and present inconsistencies and I have evidence and emails to support this. I feel the Jamaican Judo Association have favoured the other athlete in contention over me. They have effectively secured and ensured the other athletes qualification ahead of mine by blocking me from this final tournament of which I have paid flights for,” she added.
That tournament which Drysdale-Daley refers to is the Lima Pan American Open starting on June 21. This represents the final competition before the qualification deadline.
The allegations by the 29-year-old raises questions about fairness and transparency within the Judo Association and beyond, as she also leveled claims that she is being ignored and pushed aside by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA).
“The Jamaican Olympic Association, and the Jamaican Judo Association have not responded to my emails and have cruelly ignored me. The deadline for me to be re-entered is in two days’ time. This is very time sensitive. I feel let down by my peers. I feel so alone,” Drysdale-Daley noted as she fought back tears.
JJA President Dwayne Barnett.
However, the Dwayne Barnett-led JJA in a release, emphatically denied the allegations, and stressed its steadfast commitment to fairness, integrity, and providing equal opportunities for all athletes.
“The JJA categorically refutes any claims of impropriety or personal interests influencing the selection process. The General Secretary and other mentioned individuals have no personal or vested interests that would compromise the integrity of these processes. The JJA upholds the highest standards of impartiality and professionalism,” the JJA statement read.
On that note, the JJA explained that its decision to omit Drysdale-Dale from qualification was made on the basis of the athlete’s disregard for deadlines, including for Anti-doping testing, which she failed to turn up for on two occasions.
“It is important to clarify that Olympic qualification in judo requires athletes to meet specific criteria. As in most sports, if not in all, qualification is based on merit and current performance of athletes so as to ensure the best representation. The JJA subscribes to this principle,” it declared.
“The decision to exclude Ebony from the upcoming qualifying event was solely based on her consistent failure to comply with deadlines and her repeated attempts to circumvent the processes established by the JJA for efficient management of competition entries. The importance of adhering to these deadlines has been communicated to all athletes on numerous occasions,” JJA added.
Regarding support and funding, the JJA revealed that Drysdale-Daley has received financial support exceeding US$50,000 from the JOA and other strategic partners since the day she began to represent Jamaica in judo.
“The JJA empathizes with Ebony Drysdale-Daley's disappointment and frustration. However, it is imperative to recognize that deadlines are an essential component of our processes. The JJA stands by its decisions, which are made in accordance with established rules and regulations,” the release stated.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
'Wildly irresponsible': Dr. Emir Crowne blasts Judo Association for confidentiality breach in 'smear campaign' against now-suspended Drysdale-Daley
Noted sports attorney Dr. Emir Crowne has blasted the Dwayne Barnett-led Jamaican Judo Association (JJA) for what he described as a smear campaign against British-born judoka Ebony Drysdale-Daley, as the sporting body, on Thursday, revealed that the athlete has two whereabouts failures and is on the cusp of being banned.
Crowne, an international sports lawyer, labelled the JJA’s action to disclose such confidential information in a press release as “absolutely atrocious,” and “wildly irresponsible,” as he believes the breach should not go unpunished.
The JJA’s release, which stated in part that Drysdale-Daley “has twice failed to present herself for Anti-doping testing and faces a potential ban if another test is missed,” was a response to the athlete’s widely-circulated video in which she accused the association of bias where selection for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games is concerned.
Drysdale-Daley, 29, who became the country’s first athlete to compete in judo at an Olympic Games, when she graced the 2021 Tokyo edition, has since been given a notice of suspension by the association, a copy of which SportsMax.TV has obtained.
“Somehow the Jamaican Judo association thought it appropriate to publicly disclose that the athlete has two whereabouts failures so far. I say wildly irresponsible because athletes enjoy the protection of confidentiality until there is actually some sort of anti-doping rule violation asserted against them. For whereabouts failures, there is no anti-doping rule violation until there is three whereabouts failures in a twelve-month period. So until that happens, there is no anti-doping rule violation,” Crowne explained.
Ebony Drysdale-Daley in action for Jamaica.
“I would encourage the athlete, and I would encourage bodies that supervise the Jamaican Judo association, like the Jamaican Olympic Association, or the International Judo body, or JADCO…someone needs to sanction the conduct of the Jamaican Judo Association,” he added.
Crowne, who has represented a number of athletes such as Jamaica’s Ryker Hylton, Briana Williams, Kaliese Spencer and Trinidadian Fabian Whitfield, among others, argued that the JJA, in their eagerness to smear the reputation of the athlete, breached all protocols and standards of confidentiality.
“Quite ironically, the Jamaican Judo association, in attempting to paint the athlete in a negative light, has now painted themselves in a negative light through this breach of confidence, and it should not go unpunished,” the Trinidadian declared.
“I encourage JADCO, I encourage WADA, I encourage the JOA, I encourage the international federation to take a hard look at this press release and see if it was appropriate to disclose what is otherwise completely confidential in any other circumstance, in any other country, in any other sport in the world,” he stated.
In her almost four-minute long video released on Tuesday, Drysdale-Daley alleged that her path to qualification for the Paris Olympic Games was deliberately being blocked by the powers that be.
Jamaican Judo Association president Dwayne Barnett.
With only one judo spot available to Jamaica for the Games, she believes that she was being overlooked by the association since her male counterpart Ashley McKenzie came in the picture.
It is on that basis why Drysdale-Daley, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, alleges that her self-funded efforts to attend qualifying events in an attempt to possibly overhaul McKenzie is being hindered by the associations hierarchy.
“I feel the federation has shown no impartiality. I feel there is a real question of ethics, a real question of integrity. The Jamaican Judo association is blocking me from attending and competing in my last qualifying event, an event that I have self-funded and paid for,” she said.
The JJA in refuting the claims pointed to the athlete’s disregard for deadlines.
“The JJA advises Ebony Drysdale-Daley to reflect on her disregard for these deadlines, as she has twice failed to present herself for Anti-doping testing and faces a potential ban if another test is missed. Furthermore, she has received a written warning from the JJA regarding behaviour and actions deemed unbecoming of an athlete at the Commonwealth Games 2022,” the JJA release stated.
From Prefontaine panic to Racers Grand Prix triumph: Alfred reaffirms champion's mettle in Olympic Games build up
It wasn’t necessarily a quest for redemption, but Julien Alfred knew she had a wrong to right when she lined up in the women’s 100m at the Racers Grand Prix last Saturday.
This, as the St Lucian sprint sensation was far from pleased with the execution in her season-opening run at the Prefontaine Classics in Eugene, Oregon, where she placed second behind American World champion Sha’Carri Richardson, a week prior to her arrival in Jamaica.
Alfred admitted that she lost her form after finding herself ahead of the pack in that Prefontaine outing, basically confirming what most track and field enthusiasts are well aware of –that every race is a test of nerves, speed, and resilience.
However, Alfred, the World Indoor 60m champion, demonstrated that true champions are not defined by their setbacks, but by their ability to rise above them, and rise above it she did.
She bounced back in spectacular fashion at the Racers Grand Prix, clocking a brisk personal best 10.78 seconds to equal the meet record set by Shericka Jackson last year. Despite the eye-catching time, Alfred pointed out that she approached the race with a steely resolve, determined to prove her mettle and, more importantly, execute efficiently.
“I wanted to go out here and just work on execution, that was all that mattered. I didn't expect the time that's why I was smiling so much, but I really just wanted to come out here, enjoy the crowd, and work on my execution in preparation for the Olympics,” Alfred declared.
“I usually watch my competitors and how they run, so I know what to work on and whether at the start, I can stay as close to them as possible. So from Eugene (the Prefontaine Classics), I know I had a lot to work on at the end of my race, because I kind of panicked the last 40 metres, because last year I was not leading the pack in any other races, so being in front, I kind of panicked a little. So I wanted to come to Jamaica to work on my execution so we can move forward in each step of the race and prepare for the Olympics,” she added.
There is no doubt that the Racers Grand Prix performance will be a significant boost to Alfred’s confidence going forward, as she remains focused on the road ahead.
With the Paris Olympic Games fast approaching, the 22-year-old, who also boasts a 200m personal best of 21.91s, knows that there is still work to be done and she intends to leave no stones unturned where preparation for the global multi-sport showpiece is concerned.
“I have to go back to my coach. I think my start wasn’t as powerful as in Eugene, but I didn’t mind at all, and my ending, I still fought to the line which was better compared to last week. So, I'm going to go back to training, train four a month, work on the basics again, and then go to Europe and prepare for the Olympics,” she shared.
If her early season indications are anything to go by, then Alfred will certainly be a force to be reckoned with on the biggest stage of all, provided she maintains a clean bill of health. The journey may be long and challenging, but for Alfred, the pursuit of Olympic glory is a challenge worth embracing.
“I think I have a long way to go, to be honest, but I feel good about it (the Racers Grand Prix performance). But you may feel good about it at the time, and then you sit down and watch and you’d be like ‘this could have been better’ but so far, I’m satisfied and I’m not complaining. I just wanted to go out there and do well and that’s the aim for every race going into the Olympics,” Alfred ended.
Thompson-Herah named Christian Dior brand ambassador ahead of Paris Games
Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has been named Brand Ambassador for Dior, as the French fashion house has put together its own Dream Team ahead of this summer’s Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
Thompson-Herah, who is hunting an historic triple double at this year’s multi-sport showpiece, is among 15 top international female athletes that have been signed to bolster the brand.
The 31-year-old Jamaican National 100m record holder and the fastest woman alive over the distance, is joined by United States soccer player Alex Morgan, the Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup winner who is expected back on the pitch after being sidelined by an ankle injury.
Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore, the first winner of the Olympic gold medal in women’s short board surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Games, is also among the list of sporting heroes representing Dior, which belongs to luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, a premium partner of the Paris Games.
In addition, the brand has tapped swimmer Emma McKeon, Australia’s most decorated Olympian with 11 medals in total, and Japanese fencer Misaki Emura.
There are six Italian athletes: fencers Rossella Fiamingo, Alice Volpi and Arianna Errigo, and Paralympic fencers Beatrice “Bebe” Vio Grandis, Andreea Mogos and Loredana Trigilia.
From France, Team Dior will include boxer Estelle Mossely, skateboarder Louise-Aina Taboulet, fencer Sara Balzer and judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou, who hopes to reap a second Olympic gold medal after her win at the Tokyo Games.
Dior and LVMH had previously revealed three joint ambassadors –gymnast Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, wheelchair tennis player Pauline Déroulède and Para-cyclist Marie Patouillet, who was among the group of athletes that carried the Olympic torch on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.
A series of portraits of the participating athletes will go on show at Le Café Dior in La Galerie Dior at the brand’s historic flagship in Paris from July 24 to September 9.
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