Track and field agent Claude Bryan has launched a scathing rebuke of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), accusing the organisation of unprofessionalism, poor communication, and creating damaging narratives around athletes to cover up its failures, particularly in the case of his client, Ryiem Forde.

In a detailed and pointed statement, Bryan outlined a sequence of missteps by the JAAA that he believes contributed to confusion and inefficiency in Jamaica’s men’s 4x100m relay qualification efforts for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. He also expressed serious concern that athletes are being unfairly portrayed as unpatriotic or unwilling to represent the country, when in reality, the federation’s lack of planning and communication is often the root cause of their unavailability.

The warning signs, he said, were clear as early as May.

“On May 11th, 2025, all lovers of Jamaican track & field realised the nation had failed to automatically qualify for the Tokyo men’s 4x100,” Bryan stated.

Despite this early realisation, he contends the JAAA failed to develop and share a clear qualifying strategy with stakeholders in a timely manner. By June 27, when the eight finalists in the men’s 100m were confirmed at the national championships, Bryan expected that a plan would have already been in motion.

However, it wasn’t until Sunday, June 29—two full days after the 100m final—in the Barbados relay effort, that Bryan first received word from the JAAA expressing interest in Ryiem Forde’s participation in the relay effort. That interest came via a WhatsApp message - from a friend who had been approached by someone from the JAAA - followed by a formal email inquiry later that day.

“This was my first time being aware that the national federation had an interest in Forde, which is more than 2 months after failing to qualify,” he wrote. “That same Sunday (June 29) afternoon, I got a WhatsApp message from a JAAA official asking about Mr. Forde’s availability for Barbados.”

Bryan responded promptly via email, addressed to the JAAA President, the General Secretary, and other officials. He expressed frustration at the lack of prior communication, noting that a missive outlining the federation’s qualifying plans prior to or immediately after the trials would have been both helpful and respectful to the athletes’ time and commitments.

“A missive from the JAAA in advance of the Trials to potential 100m finalists outlining 4x100 qualifying plans… would have been appreciated and helpful in making qualification plans,” Bryan wrote. “Perhaps it was sent to those whom you considered possibilities, but we just were not included.”

He explained that Forde had prior personal obligations on the weekend of the Barbados Grand Prix (July 5), and could not attend on such short notice. Still, he made it clear that Forde was available for future relay efforts, specifically London and the NACAC Championships, as he had seen in the media that there would be Tokyo relay attempts at these meets.

“It would be appreciated if a detailed qualifying plan could be sent so that the federation, athletes, coaches, and agents are all on the same page,” the email read. “Ryiem welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the qualifying process.”

Notably, a JAAA official on Friday, July 11 expressed: “We are in discussions with the coaches and everybody, and we are engaging everybody to see if we can get the best persons possible, so we are working not just in isolation, we are working with the coaches, managers, agents and everybody.” In response, Bryan questioned the extent of that engagement. “As it pertains to London, I ask of the JAAA: where is the engagement with Mr. Forde’s coaches, managers and agents? Is it that for this JAAA, some athletes, coaches, managers, agents, and everybody are worthy of the respect of being communicated with, while others are not?”

While Forde’s unavailability for Barbados was communicated on June 29, the JAAA took days to respond. It wasn’t until July 3 that Bryan received a call asking about Forde’s availability for the NACAC Championships. He replied within the hour by email, confirming Forde was available for both the 100m and the 4x100m relay at NACAC. Still, there was no update on London—now the more pressing engagement.

Bryan emphasised that despite their timely responses, the JAAA’s delayed communication continued to cause confusion.

“Barbados – we responded immediately… that he was unable to attend…

London – we responded that we are available.

NACAC – we responded that we are available.

Additionally, we have been responding expeditiously, something the JAAA has not reciprocated.”

It wasn’t until July 7—eight days after his initial message—that Bryan received a WhatsApp meesage from a JAAA official asking about Forde’s availability for London. Bryan replied, once more, via a detailed email copied to the entire JAAA leadership.

“To date, and alarmingly, no plan has been received from the governing body of the sport,” Bryan wrote. “Given your message now, I ask (a) does the JAAA have plans to secure a British visa for Ryiem? – We have lost a week on account of the failure of the JAAA to respond to the email. (b) Does the JAAA have plans to secure tickets… (c) Where in Italy are the athletes going for this camp? (d) Who will be the management/coach for this camp?”

The situation also raises broader questions, according to Bryan.

“The JAAA could posit that cost is a factor for the London trip. However, with due respect to the athletes who this may envelope, the following questions would be left dangling: (a) since the JAAA President and other JAAA high-ranking officials repeatedly pronounced that they have a relay qualification plan (one which a few have been asking for but not yet been privy to), would that not have included a securing of resources to cater to the London trip? (b) How do you justify sending an athlete from Jamaica, who is not in the London meet (who finished behind Mr. Forde), on the London trip? (c) Why send a 4x100m female team to Barbados when that team had already qualified?”

In that same message, Bryan reaffirmed that Forde remained available and willing to run on the 4x100m team in London, if properly included in the federation’s plans.

His frustration, however, was not just logistical. Bryan also took issue with how some JAAA officials, he claims, have used the media to cast athletes in a negative light—blaming them for missed opportunities when the underlying issue is often a lack of coordination and professional handling by the federation.

“I submit all of this as in the past (as recent as the 2024 4x400 qualifying effort), a high-ranking JAAA official misspoke, thus casting my athlete in a bad light,” he explained. “The media is being used by some to generate affective responses of dislike and anger toward the athlete and his team… Not every athlete, on short notice, can just drop what they are doing and fly to Barbados to compete.”

Bryan added that to this date, no comprehensive plan has been shared with him. More troubling, he said, is that Forde only learned of his exclusion from the London relay team via an internet article on July 10—rather than being formally notified by the JAAA.

“Mr. Forde, an athlete who finished 4th in the 100m at the National Trials, was not a part of the original London setup and only found out about his exclusion from the London attempt via an internet article… and not from the federation charged with stewardship of our island track and field athletes.”

The lack of transparency, according to Bryan, has become a recurring theme in JAAA operations.

“Each time the JAAA becomes involved in team selection, there is some drama, and their decisions, at times, invoke feelings of manipulation and vindictiveness followed by misleading articles in the media.”

He warned that if this trend continues, it could lead to reputational damage—not just for the athletes, but for the federation itself.

“Some would say we run the risk that the JAAA is a model of spiteful behavior, and as such, Mr. Forde can expect to be ‘soaked’ by them again in the not-too-distant future for (a) not competing in Barbados and (b) having his story heard.”

Bryan’s statement ends as a call for better governance, clarity, and professionalism from the JAAA. With the clock ticking toward Tokyo, the stakes for Jamaica’s relay ambitions—and athlete relations—have never been higher.