And while the Olympic and Amateur Athletic Associations are celebrating Jonathon’s advancing, they are furious at his team mate – Belizean Jayson Jones. He will compete in the men’s 200 meter on Monday. But as we told you last night, we got an email from his mother saying that Jayson will have to go to the laundromat to wash his old spandex because he didn’t get new running outfit from Belize. Well the Amateur Athletic Association has fired back angrily. They say if Jayson Jones has to go to the laundromat it is by choice. The Association’s President is in Beijing with the athletes but the first vice president Laurier Vaughn says Jayson Jones has been and is a problem athlete and now he has embarrassed the country.
Laurier Vaughn, First Vice-President – Amateur Athletic Assoc.
“All the athletes were given new sets of uniforms one year ago in Brazil. We had a suitcase plus a duffle bag full of athletic gear which would come up to about 15 sets of clothing. Jayson has not competed for us since Brazil so therefore those clothes should not be old, they should be brand new because you should only wear them when you’re representing your country. And all the other athletes that set of uniform so to hear Jayson’s mom saying that, it kind of just get you upset because it is totally incorrect.
The other athletes that are there have those clothing and that is what Jayson should have walked with but Jayson has always been a problem athlete
and he just didn’t walk with it and now he is blaming the Olympic Association and the Belize Amateur Athletic for not providing him with clothes when it is his own negligence that caused that.”
Keith Swift,
When you say he has been a problem athlete what are you referring to?
Laurier Vaughn,
“He always gives problems, he always does things that he is not supposed to do. Just recently he is going to Beijing and he wanted them to support his family while he is gone when they have been supporting him on a monthly basis. So he has been giving problems.”
Keith Swift,
What about this makes you mad?
Laurier Vaughn,
“I am upset because it is incorrect, it is going to look bad on a lot of people that have nothing to do with the situation like people calling in and saying where is the Minister of Sports. The Minister of Sports had nothing to do with it.
I spoke to our President who is out there with him, Ms. Flowers told me to tell you guys that the athletes all had uniforms. She walked with extra uniforms for them just in case there was a problem. Her bag got delayed and only arrived there on the 12th. But Jayson can’t wait, he is just problematic. She received her bag and in time. Jayson won’t compete until the 18th and he will have uniforms to compete in.”
Jayson Jones will compete in the 200 meter hurdle on Monday. Vaughn says she still wishes Jayson Jones the best. And despite being a so-called “problem athlete” – he has been running for Belize since 1999. He ran in the 2000 Olympics and didn’t qualify for the 2004. Also participating the games for Belize are Tricia Flores who begins the women's long jump qualifying rounds on Tuesday and Alphonso Martinez who opens on Wednesday in the men’s 58kg preliminary round of 16.
