Jamaica’s western sporting community has suffered a significant setback following the abrupt cancellation of World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe’s scheduled visit to the hurricane-damaged Montego Bay Sports Complex. Stephen Smith, President of the County of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA), characterized the cancelled Tuesday visit as “another blow to sports” in the region, highlighting ongoing neglect of athletic infrastructure in western Jamaica.
The cancellation appears directly linked to protracted ownership uncertainties surrounding the multi-sport facility, which sustained severe damage during Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on October 28. Lord Coe had specifically interrupted his vacation in Turks and Caicos to assess hurricane damage and meet with track and field stakeholders regarding potential support mechanisms from World Athletics.
Smith expressed profound disappointment, noting that local representatives had anticipated productive discussions about revitalizing the deteriorated facility. “We were hoping that we would have had some good news from Lord Coe,” Smith stated, suggesting even partial assistance from World Athletics could catalyze additional government or private sector investment.
The complex’s track, originally laid in 2002, has remained unusable since 2018 due to hazardous conditions that render it dangerous for athletic competition. This deterioration compounds existing challenges for western Jamaican sports programs, with both football and track and field suffering from inadequate facilities.
Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) President Garth Gayle acknowledged uncertainties regarding appropriate counterparts in Montego Bay contributed to the visit’s cancellation. The facility’s management has been in limbo since November 2024, when Montego Bay Multi Sports Development Limited submitted the sole bid to operate the complex to the St James Municipal Council—a proposal that remains unanswered after fourteen months.
The situation underscores broader concerns about infrastructure investment disparities in Jamaican sports, particularly in regions outside the capital.