This is a debate worth having - the integrity of Champs

[Mosiah]

Kingston College's Anguillan, Zharnel Hughes has a professional contract with Racers Track Club why was he allowed to participate in Champs with students that are not being paid? I think Jamaica has to put rules and regulations to protect the integrity of Champs. Murphy and Blake both went pro early should they have continued to represent their former schools?

At least, with the Munronian, Delano Williams, he joined Racers after school.

[Don1]

It's a good debate fo sure

[Sir X]

Oh yeah.They have rules against that in the US and we are trying to be 1st world, in fact champs is 1st world.

Based on Hughes being a pro, he is bounded by Wada codes to be tested , and as a Pro competing in a school boy league , one can argue that all youths who compete in champs against professionals should be tested.

[Islandman]

Does he have a professional contract with Racers or is he on a scholarship at the HPC and training with Racers athletes?

I know the lines are blurred, if not non-existent, but technically which one is it?

Very good point though, this is something that needs to be dealt with before it gets out of hand.

[Mosiah]

From one of his interviews, it appears he even lives at the HPTC dorms.

Something doesn't sound right about that. It appears he is a pro athlete who happens to be taking classes at Kingston College. Just because he is taking classes there, does that mean he should be allowed to represent the school as well?

Hmmm!

[Islandman]

I tend to agree. It comes back to this debate about what really defines someone as a student-athlete, ie an amateur, vs a professional athlete who attends school.

Don't know if you heard about this important case recently where Northwestern student athletes argued that they are employees of the University and should be able to form unions. They won the case. It is , I believe , the first step in the direction of finally compensating college athletes properly, something that is LONG overdue in NCAA sports. When college coaches can be payed millions of dollars and the athletes, most of whom will never go pro, are not even offered decent insurance, that is just wrong.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/20...EBJ/story.html

[Time]

Sounds like he is a semi professional who is training at a professional club. Let's see if he runs at Penn Relays.

[Peter R]

Someone said/wrote somewhere that this is Jamaica's Olympics... The Olympics now allows pros to compete, ergo...

If indeed he has a professional contract with Racers, he shouldn't be allowed to compete IMO. Did I hear right that he even dissed KC in an interview?? Dat nuh right!

[Assasin]

ISSA needs to update their rules to reflect the current day reality.

[Assasin]

Olympics but only if you have good grades or teachers in your pocket.

[Mosiah]

Really?!? Champs should never become professional. That is how I feel about it.

[Mosiah]

Did I hear right that he even dissed KC in an interview?? Dat nuh right!

The one interview I saw with him he was bigging up KC, saying he loved it, and kept repeating that!

[Assasin]

Not saying it should go professional but it should define professional and who is considered a pro. 20 years ago I don't think we had these athletes who are in certain "camps" and could even be getting paid while running at Champs.

This rule like so many others have to reflect the reality of the day.

[Mosiah]

The reality of the day is we have T&F clubs of the highest quality. They can compete for them! Or for their university!

I can foresee in a few years Jamaica having 20 T&F clubs. Racers and MVP, and the other few, can't handle all this talent! That's another discussion.

[Islandman]

I think by "dissing KC" they meant that he was bigging up Anguilla in the post-race interview and nothing said about KC.