An audacious bid by Turkish athletics officials to lure elite Jamaican track and field athletes ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles is raising concerns within the local athletics community, amid revelations of lucrative financial offers and covert negotiations.

According to impeccable sources, the move, orchestrated by a well-known international sports agent, reportedly includes not only an upfront payment of at least US$500,000 per athlete but also promises of substantial monthly stipends and performance bonuses reaching into the hundreds of thousands for medals earned at global competitions.

Sources close to the situation say the effort is part of a broader push by Türkiye to bolster its Olympic medal chances through naturalization, with several top Jamaican athletes being approached quietly in recent weeks. The recruitment drive is reportedly operating with urgency, as the athletes must acquire Turkish citizenship and residency before the end of this month in order to satisfy the three-year eligibility rule enforced by World Athletics for the 2028 Olympic Games.

Some of the athletes, who have won global medals in the recent past, are said to be seriously considering the offer. Offers reportedly made to other elite athletes from leading clubs on the island were declined, with the camps distancing themselves for now from the overtures. Notably, some members of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) appear to have been left in the dark.

JAAA President Garth Gayle also declined to comment on the matter.

This latest move comes against the backdrop of previous defections. Over the two decades, Jamaica has lost several athletes to other nations, including Jacques Harvey, who switched allegiance to Türkiye, and Kemarley Brown, Andrew Fisher, and Brandon Simpson, all of whom opted to represent Bahrain.

The process of switching allegiance is governed by strict World Athletics regulations designed to ensure transparency, athlete welfare, and fairness. Athletes must demonstrate a close and genuine connection to the new country, typically through residency. Transfers usually come with a waiting period of three years—unless both federations and World Athletics agree to reduce it. A Nationality Review Panel assesses and approves such changes to prevent exploitation or abuse of the system.

Some observers familiar with the situation argue that the athletes may simply be seeking better opportunities—financial security, resources, and long-term support—that the Jamaican government is currently unable or unwilling to provide. With injuries, career uncertainty, and limited domestic funding all factors, the offers from Türkiye, while controversial, could be viewed by some as a pragmatic move.

Though the practice is not new, the scale and secrecy of the current attempt, coupled with the involvement of local figures and the high stakes ahead of LA 2028, has cast a shadow over Jamaica’s sporting landscape. Industry insiders fear the financial incentives may be too tempting for young athletes.

With the end-of-month deadline looming and no official statement yet from Jamaica’s governing body, the situation remains fluid. What’s clear is that the next few weeks could have far-reaching implications for the island’s Olympic future—and its sporting identity.