KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Officials here have estimated losses from the decision to scrap this year’s Secondary Schools Athletics Championship due to the outbreak of the coronavirus at nearly $40 million (US$296 186).
Keith Wellington, president of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), described the enormously popular track and field showpiece as the organisation’s “major revenue earner” and said even though the decision was the right one, the financial losses would hurt their operations.
“I think after we would have covered all our expenses, we possibly would be losing upwards of $40 million dollars,” the Gleaner newspaper here quoted Wellington as saying.
“It is our major revenue earner, and as a matter of fact, this is the only sponsored competition that we have a surplus from after we cover all our costs.
“That $40 million dollars is what we use to cover the other sports that are not sponsored as well as our office operations.”
He added: “It is a disappointment that we had to take this decision, but I think it is the right decision that we would have taken based on the circumstances.”
Organisers moved swiftly to cancel the event after two cases of the coronavirus were reported on the island. Cases had increased to eight as of Friday.
The championship, which had been set to run off this month, is one of the largest sporting events on the country’s calendar. It attracts large numbers through the five days of competition, with up to 25 000 fans turning up for the final day.
Sports Minister Olivia Grange said while the cancellation of the championship was a “massive disappointment”, athlete and public safety was of major importance.
“It is a massive disappointment. We are all disappointed because it is very painful for me, but when you think of reducing the risk, then that is more important than fulfilling our wish to have a fantastic Boys and Girls’ Championships,” Grange explained.
“I just want to say to the athletes that it is in their best interest and I know how disappointed they are, and I am disappointed, too, but they should continue to remain focused.”
She added: ““We didn’t discuss moving the date, and we didn’t discuss having it without spectators. We felt that in order to focus on containment and protecting Jamaicans, we thought that spectators and the athletes were equally important.”
Jamaica is one of several Caribbean countries which have reported cases of the coronavirus which has caused nearly 5 000 deaths worldwide.
