Merrick Andrews, Staff Reporter
THE three-man independent panel that was sought by the outgoing Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) body to review the events which occurred in the Jamaican track and field camp at the Sydney Olympics has been named.
The names of the independent panel were disclosed by outgoing president of the JAAA, Adrian Wallace, during his (president's) report at the association's Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Life of Jamaica auditorium on Thursday.
The independent observers are - chairman of the panel Lloyd Goodleigh, president of the Caribbean Congress of Labour and National Workers Union secretary; Avril Crawford - executive director of Jamaica Computer Society Education and past president of the Jamaica Netball Association and Deanne Bell - chief executive officer of Dry Clean, USA and a former national tennis player.
Members of the review committee will study the problems which led to the demonstration at the Olympic Village on September 18 and offer recommendations on preventing a recurrence.
More than 20 Jamaican athletes staged a protest after the management team dropped 100 metres champion Peta-Gaye Dowdie and replaced her with veteran Merlene Ottey who went on to place fourth in the final.
The committee could also recommend action against athletes who participated in the demonstration.
The panel will review a 48-page report prepared by local track and field officials who attended the Olympics. This report consists of a full Management Team Report, including sections from coaches and medical personnel.
"The second outside the arena matter, on which I hesitate to write due to the embarrassment brought to our country, is the Sydney protest," said Wallace in his report at the AGM.
Wallace had assumed personal responsibility for the protest and apologised to the nation The International Olympic Committee had threatened to throw Jamaica out of the village due to the protest.
"I inflicted my own disqualification by dismissing any thoughts of renomination for a second term as president. I felt that this was the principled thing to do," Wallace said.
Veteran sports administrator Patrick Anderson succeeded Wallace as president of the JAAA after defeating rival candidate Christian Stokes 71-34.
