By Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
MERLENE OTTEY will not be stripped of her status as an ambassadorship, at least for now.
Government officials are not even thinking about it seriously, though she will be representing another country, Slovenia, at the Athens Olympics in Greece.
Senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade seemed uncomfortable dealing with the issue, although there is clearly a conflict of interest with the title bestowed on the legendary athlete.
AMBASSADOR AT LARGE
In tribute to her extraordinary achievements, Ottey was appointed an Ambassador at Large by the Government in 1993 after carrying the Jamaican flag high since the 1980 Moscow Olympics where she won a bronze medal in the 200 metres as a 20-year-old.
An Ambassador at Large is not assigned to a specific country and can be called on at any given time to represent his or her country at any official occasion.
But in May 2002, Ottey gained citizenship for Slovenia where she has been living since 1998 and is now donning the blues of her new country in international events.
"I don't want to talk about Merlene Ottey. I don't see any urgency in dealing with that issue," was the terse response from K.D. Knight, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade when contacted to comment on the issue.
Delano Franklyn, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said: "It is not a matter that has being given any substantial consideration, but it is something that I would not wish to comment on currently."
However, Minister Franklyn was quick to point out that it is not a decision to be taken unilaterally. It would have to be done by the Cabinet and the Prime Minister.
Jamaicans on a whole are sharply divided over the issue surrounding the star athlete, who is also one of the most decorated worldwide.
"If we take it back it might seem pettyish," said Joel Jackson, a carpenter, as The Gleaner sought the views of the ordinary man in the street.
"Take it from her of course, you 'nuh' see the woman dis' we," said Judith King while shopping downtown.
RELINQUISHING STATUS
Noel Dalton, a businessman, was more measured in his response, saying "...once you are going to be a national of another country you automatically should give up your Ambassador At Large status."
Ottey has won 22 championship medals eight at the Olympics and 14 at the World Championships more than any other athlete in the world, thus earning the nickname 'Queen of the Track'.
Born in Cold Spring, Trelawny, she was the first female Jamaican athlete to have won an Olympic medal and has featured in many track and field records over the years.
Ottey's decision to switch nationality is widely anticipated to have been fuelled by an incident at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where several of her Jamaican teammates staged a public protest against her after she was given the nod to participate in the 100 metres over Peta Gaye Dowdie, the national 100m champion at that time.
Ottey just missed out on a medal after placing fourth in the final.
Merlene's medal file
8 OLYMPIC MEDALS
Moscow 1980 200m bronze
Los Angeles 1984 100m & 200m bronze
Barcelonia 1992 200m bronze
Atlanta 1996 100m & 200m silver & 4x100 relay bronze
Sydney 2000 4x100 relay silver
14 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS
Helsinki 1983 200m silver & 4x100 relay bronze
Rome 1987 100m & 200m bronze
Tokyo 1991 4x100 relay gold, 100m & 200m bronze
Stuttgart 1993 200m gold, 100m silver & 4x100m relay bronze
Gothenburg 1995 200m gold, 100m silver & 4x100m relay silver
Athens 1997 200m bronze
