... McCook jolted by Aris' passing

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter
Monte Carlo, Monaco:

Neville 'Teddy' McCook was clearly a man shaken yesterday, fighting back tears as he struggled to reflect on the loss of a dear friend of his, former Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association president Howard Aris, who died on Thursday evening from a suspected heart attack.

McCook has known Aris since 1954 when the first-former made the Kingston College track and field team, of which Aris was the then captain and it has been a difficult few hours for the North America, Central America and Caribbean (NACAC) president and IAAF area representative.

"This news has really jolted me because he (Aris) was probably among the last persons that I spoke to before I left for Monaco," said McCook, who is here for the IAAF Council meeting and Grand Gala.

"I am deeply saddened by this and still in a state of great shock."

"I am always very concerned when my phone rings when I am overseas in the morning. I first think of my immediate family but I can also regard Howard Aris as immediate family, so clearly when I heard Dr (Warren) Blake on the other side of the fence at 4 a.m. (Monaco time) telling me that Howard had suffered a heart attack, I was prepared to live with that and move on to look at recovery time and prognosis."

"He paused and said that he passed half an hour after, I am devastated," said an emotional McCook, who went on to describe Aris' passing as a major blow for Jamaica's track and field.

"It is indeed a major blow for track and field in Jamaica, someone who had dedicated his entire life to the sport and not only that but has made a tremendous contribution and I think that we are going to be poorer for it, but what we have to do is make sure that the things that we now do reflect the things that he wanted to do but didn't get accomplished," he added.

Incidentally, Aris was on Thursday re-elected to the IAAF's Youth Commission and while the international athletics community come to grips with his passing, IAAF president Lamine Diack yesterday called for a minute's silence during the council proceedings, while many members offered their condolences.

McCook, who offered to assist the new leadership of the JAAA once that matter has been settled in whatever way he can, had some words of advice to the members of the organisation.