JOA forks out $10m for Olympic Salute

THE INAUGURAL Olympic Salute, which will be hosted by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) on November 16, will be a golden salute and handshake honouring the 2024 Paris Olympic medallists for embodying the best of Olympism.

The theme of the event, ‘Beyond the Podium to the Stars’, gives an insight into the philosophy that has inspired the JOA to salute character and reward feats.

A total spend of over $10 million will reward the attributes of commitment, dedication, determination, respect, humility and integrity in performance.

JOA president, Christopher Samuda, in commenting on the association’s salute, said: “The golden salute represents more than a golden reward for a podium finish, which marks the end of an event. The salute recognises the historic past, the present’s value, and the future’s continuing inspiration in reinforcing in the now and next generation the values in, and integrity of, sport.”

The JOA’s policy of funding sports across the board continues to gain support. The field events earned the spotlight in Paris, and the Olympic Salute is, yet again, JOA’s continuing investment in those disciplines, which, since the current administration assumed office, has exceeded $80 million, the beneficiaries of which include Fedrick Dacres, O’Dayne Richards, Shanieka Ricketts, Kai Chung and Danniel Thomas-Dodd.

“The JOA’s investment policy is unmistakably athlete-centric, and it is so as sport’s profitability and any dividend payable to sport development require bankable human capital,” JOA’s secretary general and CEO, Ryan Foster, remarked.

The JOA’s stride continues to imprint the sporting landscape. Next year, it will inaugurate its highest award, the Order of Pre-eminence.

“It is all about kindling the aspirations of our sportsmen and women on the field of play, so that they may become change makers, MVPs of the game, aspire to be GOATs of the sport, and for generations to declare them pre-eminent legends and legators,” said Samuda.