Jamaican-American icon explains why Shericka Jackson, Kishane Thompson & Co are 'silent' over new financial contract

The Jamaican-American icon shared his thoughts on why Shericka Jackson, Kishane Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and other top Jamaican athletes have been mum concerning the new Jamaican Athletics Federation financial contract offers.

Jamaican-American decathlete Claston Bernard has shed light on why Jamaican athletes, including Shericka Jackson, Kishane Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Co have remained silent following the release of the new contract offer by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association.

For Olympic medallists, the JAAA will offer $30,000 to the gold medallists, and $15,000 and $10,000 to the silver and bronze medallists respectively. For the World Athletics Championships, the gold medallists will earn $20,000 while the silver and bronze medallists will walk away with $10,000 and $8000.

The JAAA announced that for the World Indoor Championships, gold, silver and bronze medallists will pocket $15,000, $8000 and $7000 respectively. Going into the World Junior Championships, the gold medallists will earn $10,000 with the silver and bronze medallists going home with $8000 and $2000.

At the World Relays, the gold medallists will pocket $7500, with the silver and bronze medallists bagging $5000 and $2000. In case of a world record, the athlete will be awarded a bonus of $50,000.

The former Commonwealth Games champion revealed that these bonuses are very beneficial to the athletes but the reason they are mum is because they may not be aware of such a scheme. He pointed out that most of the time, everyone but the athlete knows what is going on in the world of athletics.

He explained that Jamaica is one of the powerhouses in athletics and having such financial benefits will propel the athletes to put in more work and ensure they win as many medals in order to make the country proud and make money.

“They probably don’t know, it is being kept from them or the way we are looking at it and explaining it, they might not be getting that where they are. It is so convolute that there is so much emotional wrangling and so much people talking about what we should have done but the fact is, Jamaica has positioned themselves to be one of the premier Olympic countries,” he said in an interview with Dr Greg Haughton.

“So, we have already positioned ourselves to do well so the fact that that has happened should be looked at in a different light. Right now, Jamaican athletes are in a place where their talent is being buried probably because the information is not being filtered down the way it needs to be.

“These are things that are supposed to be broken down and explained and dispersed to the athletes all over. I would push for performance-based contracts because they push for the interests of the athletes.”

He explained that Jamaican athletes also need to learn how to market themselves outside the athletics realm so that when they retire, they do not become burdens to the siciety He feels when they are known on and off the track, it is easier to sign brand deals and continue making money even when their running careers are over.

He urged the JAAA to kickstart such vital lessons on how athletes can build personal brands and market Jamaican companies as they make money aside from running.

“Once you win medals, you need to put yourself out there, not just in the athletics arena but outside that with the private companies in Jamaica that are looking to market themselves to the Jamaican populace so you need to use these opportunities to better yourself, not just in athletics but outside the athletic theme,” he added.