Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda has laid out an ambitious blueprint for transforming Jamaica’s sporting sector into a fully-fledged industry, calling for bold investment in infrastructure, athlete welfare, commercial development, and ethical governance.

Delivering the featured address at the Kiwanis Club of Friends Across Borders’ ninth anniversary and installation ceremony in St. Andrew, Samuda proposed a comprehensive sporting ecosystem that connects investment, tourism, entertainment, culture, and athlete development. He called for a national commercial sport policy to establish high-performance and wellness centres, sport-science incubators, and commercial sport hubs across the island, while also advocating for the transformation of sport colleges into Universities of Sport and the introduction of a pension plan for national athletes.

Samuda was equally emphatic that expansion must be rooted in principle, outlining what he described as the “ten commandments” of sport: transparency, accountability, selflessness, respect, fairness, friendship, inclusion, equality, excellence, and integrity. He issued a pointed warning against corruption and self-interest: “Money is talking in sport, it’s shouting in sport, and some are using it for return favours, using it to colt the game. Not under my Olympic watch.”

On governance, Samuda confirmed the JOA’s plans to propose a constitutional amendment formalising diaspora representation — with non-voting directorial seats for Jamaicans based in former Olympic host cities — recognising the growing contribution of overseas Jamaicans to the nation’s sporting development.

He also updated progress on several major projects: the JOA’s Cunningham Avenue headquarters is being developed into a multi-purpose commercial sporting complex, while the Jamaica Paralympic Association has entered discussions with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean regarding a High Performance Centre of Excellence for both para and able-bodied athletes.

SOURCE: The Caribbean National Weekly

The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) is set to make history by giving the Jamaican diaspora a permanent, formalised voice in the nation’s Olympic administration.

JOA President Christopher Samuda announced the initiative while addressing the ninth anniversary and installation ceremony of the Kiwanis Club of Friends Across Borders, revealing that the organisation will propose a constitutional amendment at its upcoming general congress. The amendment would allocate a fixed number of non-voting directorial seats to diaspora leaders based in cities that have previously hosted the Olympic Games. Representatives would be required to hold Jamaican citizenship and adhere to established Olympic protocols.

Samuda cited the diaspora’s growing contribution to Jamaican sport — both through the increasing number of athletes representing the island internationally and through significant financial and commercial support — as the driving force behind the move.

“A Jamaican passport, citizenship, will be required and other protocols of the Olympic movement; but stay tuned, history is in the making,” he said.

The announcement came alongside news of further developments on the home front. The JOA is finalising a major commercial sporting complex at its Cunningham Avenue headquarters — envisioned to house a retail sports outlet, health and wellness station, restaurant, conference facilities, a chancery honouring sporting greats, and eventually a museum and commercial dormitories.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Paralympic Association, also led by Samuda, has entered discussions with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean regarding funding for a High Performance Centre of Excellence to serve both para and able-bodied athletes across a range of indoor sports.

Samuda also renewed his call for a pension plan for national sportsmen and women to complement the national health plan introduced in 2016.

SOURCE: The Jamaica Gleaner

Jamaica Paralympic Association President Christopher Samuda has made a forceful case for coordinated international funding to address one of Paralympic sport’s most persistent challenges — athlete classification — warning that cost and limited accessibility continue to undermine the system’s fairness and integrity.

Speaking at an International Classification Conference in Moscow, Russia, hosted by the Russian Paralympic Committee and attended by representatives from more than 50 countries, Samuda argued that a technically sound classification system means little if countries lack the resources to implement it.

“Classification is a challenge for many countries and the perennial complaint is one of expense and accessibility,” he said, proposing that funding be organised on a continental basis, directed towards nations with the greatest need for classifier training, certification, and athlete assessment.

Classification is fundamental to Paralympic competition — determining eligibility and the sport class in which an athlete competes. Yet concerns over cost, consistency, and accuracy have placed growing pressure on the movement to strengthen the process without compromising its credibility.

Samuda’s solution is clear: sustained financial investment. “If we are to implement a sustainable programme for classification, it requires serious funding. It takes cash to care — but you first have to create it and, more importantly, you need to care for the cash lest the well runs dry,” he said.

The conference, held under the theme “Actual Issues in Classification in Para Sport,” examined the 2025 IPC Classification Code, scientific approaches to athlete assessment, and the prevention of intentional misrepresentation. A resolution on financial and policy matters was expected upon its conclusion.

SOURCE: Caribbean National Weekly

Jamaica Paralympic Association President Christopher Samuda has called for serious and sustained funding to address one of the Paralympic movement’s most persistent challenges — athlete classification — warning that rising costs, limited accessibility, and a shortage of trained classifiers continue to threaten the integrity of Para sport.

Samuda made the appeal while addressing an International Classification Conference in Moscow, Russia, where representatives from more than 50 countries gathered to tackle key issues under the theme “Actual Issues in Classification in Para Sport.”

“Classification is a challenge for many countries and the perennial complaint is one of expense and accessibility,” he said, proposing that funding be secured on a continental basis, directed towards countries with the greatest need for classifier training, certification, and athlete assessment.

Classification lies at the heart of the Paralympic movement, determining athlete eligibility and ensuring fair competition. Samuda argued that without adequate financial resources, a sustainable and equitable system cannot be built.

“If we are to implement a sustainable programme for classification, it requires serious funding. It takes cash to care — but you first have to create it and, more importantly, you need to care for the cash lest the well run dry,” he said.

The conference, hosted by the Russian Paralympic Committee, also examined the 2025 IPC Classification Code, scientific approaches to athlete assessment, and the prevention of intentional misrepresentation. A resolution addressing financial and policy matters was expected when discussions concluded on September 5.

SOURCE: AmberNews

Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda has called for a dramatic overhaul of the country’s sporting infrastructure, arguing that Jamaica cannot fully optimise or commercialise its athletic talent without significant investment in modern facilities.

Despite Jamaica’s strong showings at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow — where the island claimed 19 medals — and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Santo Domingo, where 11 medals were won largely without the country’s top track and field stars, Samuda says the facilities witnessed at both competitions served as a wake-up call.

“Modern and functional sporting facilities are the training and conditioning grounds for talent development and success,” he said. “As a country, we will not be able to optimise talent across the spectrum of sport and commercialise sport into an industry unless we improve dramatically the physical infrastructure of sport.”

Samuda stressed that infrastructural development cannot rest on any single sector, calling for joint public and private investment, bilateral partnerships, and strategic grant funding to build a network of proper facilities — from grassroots community venues to high-performance centres.

Encouragingly, he revealed that discussions are already underway. Through its relationship with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Jamaica Paralympic Association has been exploring the construction of a high-performance indoor multi-sport Paralympic complex — one that would also serve as an Olympic development hub accommodating a wide range of disciplines including basketball, netball, badminton, volleyball, judo, fencing, and teqball, among others.

With the 2027 Lima Pan American Games on the horizon, Samuda said the lessons of Glasgow and Santo Domingo must now be translated into action.

“Games are the end product, but if we are to earn prowess and a global reputation in a multiplicity of sports, we must break ground for sport centres and create pipelines of generational talent,” he said.

SOURCE: Jamaica Observer

Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda has hailed the performances of Jamaican athletes at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games and Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, describing their efforts as “gold, silver, and bronze moments of glory.”

Jamaica competed with a record pool of over 250 athletes across 36 sporting disciplines in both competitions. At the Commonwealth Games, the island claimed 19 medals — 10 gold, four silver, and five bronze — finishing eighth on the table, with 18 of those medals coming in athletics and one silver in netball. At the CAC Games, Jamaica ended with 11 medals — one gold, four silver, and five bronze — placing 16th overall, with medals spread across athletics, artistic gymnastics, rugby, squash, netball, and badminton.

Among the standout moments, the Sunshine Girls defeated world number one-ranked Australia in the netball semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games, while Navasky Anderson became the first Jamaican man to win the Commonwealth 800m title.

Jamaica also turned heads in non-traditional disciplines at the CAC Games. Jahzara Swaby claimed double bronze in women’s artistic gymnastics, taking the podium in the vault and all-around events. Tahlia Richardson won bronze in women’s badminton singles, Julian Morrison and Tahjia Lumley took bronze in men’s squash doubles, and the Lady Crocs — Jamaica’s women’s rugby sevens team — claimed their first-ever CAC Games medal, a bronze led by captain and flag bearer Naomi Dodd.

Samuda reaffirmed the JOA’s commitment to its athletes, stressing that placing them at the centre of development planning remains key to Jamaica’s continued success on the regional and international stage.

SOURCE: Jamaica Star

Jamaica Paralympic Association President Christopher Samuda has challenged Commonwealth sporting leaders to move beyond dialogue and deliver concrete results, warning that the future of Para sport depends on decisive action, legislative reform, and sustained investment.

Speaking at a Commonwealth Sport forum hosted by Paralympics Great Britain at the Team Wales Hotel in Glasgow, Samuda delivered a direct message to delegates from member nations gathered to discuss strategies for expanding Para sport across the Commonwealth.

“Assemblies and ministerial fora must not be talkfests,” he declared. “Arising from conversations had must be declarations, and deliverables as well as outcomes that are measurable and impactful.”

Samuda argued that meaningful growth requires governments to take a proactive legislative approach — establishing clear policy frameworks, ensuring compliance, and creating the enabling environment necessary for the Paralympic movement to thrive.

He also stressed the growing commercial dimension of Para sport, urging administrators to harness the power of storytelling to attract and retain investors. Long-term financial support, he noted, is won not just through strong performances but through humanising the spirit and triumphs of para-athletes in ways that give sponsors and financiers confidence in their investment.

The forum took place against the backdrop of Glasgow 2026’s record-breaking Para sport programme — the largest in Commonwealth Games history — including the inaugural awarding of medals in Para powerlifting. Distinguished attendees included the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Commonwealth Games Federation President Dr. Donald Rukare, and Paralympics GB Chairman Dan Brooke, among other senior figures.

Samuda’s message was clear: the future of Para sport will be shaped not by what is said in conference rooms, but by the measurable actions taken once the meetings end.

SOURCE: Caribbean National Weekly

Jamaica’s tourist capital, Montego Bay, is set to host the meeting and retreat of the executive board of the Americas Paralympic Committee (AmPC), the governing body for 34 national Paralympic committees across North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.

Scheduled for December, the occasion is historic — it will be the first time the regional apex organisation, or any ruling body in the global Paralympic movement, convenes in Jamaica.

The decision was endorsed by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons following a visit to the island in March last year, during which he described Jamaica as the hub for Paralympic sports development in the Caribbean. AmPC Vice-President Christopher Samuda welcomed the move as a vote of confidence in the country.

“It places on the country an obligation to ensure that the declarations coming out of these meetings will not only create capital for the local movement but, more importantly, give greater currency and value to the region’s principal assets — our athletes — and the business of sport for our 34 members,” he said.

Among the key agenda items is the staging of the inaugural senior Para Central American and Caribbean Games. Looking beyond the competition itself, Samuda stressed the broader vision: building friendship, unity and a common humanity among athletes across the subregion.

AmPC also owns the Para Pan American Games, set for Lima, Peru next August, the Para South American Games, and the Youth Para Pan American Games. The committee continues to strengthen its position through partnerships with UBER International, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, PUMA International, UNESCO, and the BDH Paras Foundation, among others.

SOURCE: The Jamaica Observer