JAAA Rejects Airfare Dispute Claims, Cites Scheduling Conflict in Seville Withdrawal

The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has pushed back against media reports suggesting that reigning men's 100m World Champion Oblique Seville pulled out of the World Athletics Relays because of a row over the cost of his plane ticket.

Seville had been named among Jamaica's selections for the men's 4x100m relay at the championships before his name was removed from the squad. In a release issued yesterday, the JAAA said no such argument over airfare had taken place.

"We have seen comments from sections of the media stating that arising from a dispute between the JAAA and Oblique Seville regarding the price of his ticket, it has resulted in the athlete having to withdraw from Jamaica's team to the World Relays in Gaborone, Botswana," the statement read. "This is factually inaccurate.... There was never an impasse between agents acting on behalf of Oblique Seville and the JAAA regarding payment for travel tickets."

SCHEDULING CONFLICT

According to the association, the real issue was a clash in Seville's calendar that could not be sorted out before the meet. Officials said written notice had been sent in by the sprinter's manager, Norman Peart, confirming the pull-out while signalling that Seville remained open to future selection.

"There was an issue regarding the earliest date that he could return to Miami in order to meet a contractual obligation," the JAAA stated. "His agent was advised that the earliest possible date on available flights, that would allow him to return to Miami was on May 5, 2026, after midday. We therefore could not guarantee an earlier return."

"On April 21, we received a written notice from Oblique's manager, Norman Peart, of the withdrawal of Oblique Seville from the World Relays Team," the association added.

Seville is not the only big name missing from the Jamaican line-up. World 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson, along with Roshawn Clarke and Tajh Marques-White, have also been withdrawn from the team.

The World Relays will be staged at the Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone on May 2 and May 3.