Ohara and Hyde barred from Penn Relays

[Mosiah]

Penn Relays.

According to information reaching TrackAlerts.Com, Penn Relays officials met and decided to prevent the two Champs gold medalists from competing at the annual Franklin Field Classic, because they are deemed to have contractual agreements with telecommunication companies in Jamaica

http://www.trackalerts.com/Articles/...-relays/13554/

[Don1]

Penn Relays.

According to information reaching TrackAlerts.Com, Penn Relays officials met and decided to prevent the two Champs gold medalists from competing at the annual Franklin Field Classic, because they are deemed to have contractual agreements with telecommunication companies in Jamaica

http://www.trackalerts.com/Articles/...-relays/13554/

Not exactly...

“The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (OIAA), the states high school governing body which sanctions the Penn Relays High school events, has ruled that Michael O’Hara of Calabar and Jaheel Hyde of Wolmer’s Boys are ineligible to participate at the Penn Relays as high school athletes,” the ISSA release said.

This, however, means both, if selected could run in the professional segment - USA vs The World.

[Gamma]

correct!

anyway ... it would be rather incredulous if they did not see this coming.

[Islandman]

It would be.

Lebron James was not allowed to finish his high school basketball season because he accepted some jerseys from a retailer as a gift! Hyde and Ohara are in way deeper than that.

[Gamma]

correct

[Jangle]

This is no big thing. What is the importance of the Penn Relays to Jamaican high schools anyway? The Penn Relays comes at the end of Jamaica's high school T&F season. The time has come for ISSA, as the governing body for Jamaica's high school sports, to exert their massive power and seek some form of financial benefits from the Penn Relays. Right now, Jamaica and Jamaican high school athletes do not need the Penn Relays for anything. However, the Penn Relays need the Jamaican high schools to fill the stadium and Philly. The day name day that ISSA exerts its powers and say they are withholding our athletes from attending Penns, then you will see the Penn Relays organizers moving mountains to get us back.

[Time]

correct

What rule did Ohara and Hyde break? I am not saying that OHara and Hyde should or should not run. I am asking what rule they broke. Here are the Penn Relays rules.
http://news.pennrelaysonline.com/reg...c_location=ufi

With respect Lebron James high school suspension. He broke a Ohio State rule and was punished for it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/01/sp...ing-gifts.html

Gamma, America is a country of laws, give us some advice based on law. If ISSA is acknowledged under rule 2a then would it protect OHara and Hyde from rule 2b?

[Islandman]

Non member schools must abide by PIAA rules which require students to be amateurs,

http://www.piaa.org/schools/eligibility/

[Time]

Maybe that is the problem, ISSA wrote PIAA to ask about OHara and Hyde. Maybe they should have written Penn Relays instead of PIAA and asked for an interpretation of rule 2a and 2b. This drama not over yet, time for the lawyers to come out swinging.

[Islandman]

I think they should leave it alone. Not worth it. The athletes are professionals.

ISSA should consider if the same rule is needed for Champs. I know Mosiah has said it should be in place, I am not sure. It might get kind of messy having pros and amateurs on the same high school teams though.

[Mosiah]

JNLIJ are the ones who need Penn. I find Penn Relays quite boring!

[Don1]

This is no big thing. What is the importance of the Penn Relays to Jamaican high schools anyway? The Penn Relays comes at the end of Jamaica's high school T&F season. The time has come for ISSA, as the governing body for Jamaica's high school sports, to exert their massive power and seek some form of financial benefits from the Penn Relays. Right now, Jamaica and Jamaican high school athletes do not need the Penn Relays for anything. However, the Penn Relays need the Jamaican high schools to fill the stadium and Philly. The day name day that ISSA exerts its powers and say they are withholding our athletes from attending Penns, then you will see the Penn Relays organizers moving mountains to get us back.

It is wrong to say we don't "need" Penn but they "need" Jamaica. Yes we do provide maybe >50% of the crowd, spend and the vibes...but Penn is still the best showcase for those wanting a college scholarship. Plus it's an irreplaceable cultural phenomenon for JA

So the Penn-JA relationship is symbiotic

Work is underway re additional financial benefits. It is easy to say this or that SHOULD be done.... but hard to get OUR PEOPLE to support organizational efforts aimed at achieving desired targets

There have been MASSIVE strides re the Jamaican presence and market power at Penn due to TJB work especially in the last 10 years or so...but more does need to be done

Would the massive like to know where to send an online donation to assist this 20+ year all-volunteer effort??

[Islandman]

Yes TJB has done an outstanding job.

Any news on their legal issues re Champs coverage?

[Don1]

Mi tink dat get sort out ...but mek mi check wat gwaan

[Assasin]

As I said ISSA is a joke. I was surprise to see Hyde at Champs.

Real people take real action. They can compete but as pros.