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Tracey. - file
This seems to be the season of discontent at the MVP Track Club, home to some of the world's best athletes, as several of them have already parted company with the club and there are strong reports that a number of the club's high-profile athletes are considering calling time on their relationship with the organisation.
In recent weeks, upcoming athletes Kimani Roach, Peter Matthews and Darrion Bent have left the University of Technology (UTech)/MVP set-up where they were conditioned by coaching guru Stephen Francis and his staff.
They are, however, not alone as according to our well-placed sources, at least one or two of the club's more celebrated figures have been examining their options and are likely to take their training elsewhere, with a barrage of issues such as a general poor treatment, lack of sufficient attention as well as monetary concerns dominating the rounds at this point.
It is understood that one of the athletes - one of the club's biggest names, was so upset with certain arrangements while at the club's Italy-based camp during the build-up to the just concluded IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, that the athlete actually returned home from the camp ahead of schedule.
This particular athlete, who we have decided not to name, is currently on holidays and while an opportunity to comment was declined, the athlete did confirm that their future is being considered and that there are problems.
As it relates to those who have already left, Bent is now a student of the University of the West Indies, while Matthews remains a student at UTech but now trains with Racers Track Club.
Then, in midweek, national 400m hurdles junior record holder Ristananna Tracey, who represented Jamaica at the recent IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, packed her bags and has also entrusted the continued development of her career in the hands of Glen Mills and his Racers Track Club set-up, which also boasts the likes of double world record holder Usain Bolt and World 100m champion Yohan Blake.
Tracey has yet to release a statement on her reasons for leaving the club, but the 19-year-old, when contacted, did not deny the move, but declined the opportunity to speak on record about her differences with the club.
There are, however, reports that the youngster, a former standout performer for Edwin Allen High School, became disenchanted with the way she was being treated by the club.
Anthony Davis, athletic director of UTech, yesterday confirmed the departure of the athletes but explained that none of the athletes have so far expressed to him why they have chosen to train elsewhere. Speaking from Florida where he has been for several days, Davis reveals that on his return today he hopes to meet with the athletes to hear the reasons why they opted to leave.
MVP president, Bruce James, declined to comment when contacted yesterday, offering instead: "I am not going to comment on that at this point."
Word on the ground, however, is that the departure of the athletes has nothing to do with the school but with the treatment meted out to them at the track club that has spawned World and Olympic champions, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Melaine Walker and Briqitte Foster-Hylton as well as world ranked athletes Shericka Williams, Kaliese Spencer, Asafa Powell, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter.
Last year, Olympic 100-metre silver medallist Sherone Simpson was on her way out of the club but was eventually persuaded to stay after the story broke before she managed to leave. People close to the sprinter said she was very unhappy with the environment there and wanted out.
