Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

Holmwood's Schillonie Calvert is well clear of rivals in the Class One girls 4x100m final. Holmwood won in 45.49 seconds. Vere (right) were second in 46.37 at the VMBS/ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday April 1, 2006. - file

Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS), dropped a bombshell on Thursday announcing that they have severed ties with the School Boys & Girls Athletics Championships.

VMBS, the long-standing sponsor of the most popular schoolboy event for the past 14 years, said in a release that they are heading in a new direction.

"As the Victoria Mutual Group pursues new strategic directions, the organisation and the Inter Secondary Schools Association (ISSA) have announced that after serving as the major sponsor of the Boys and Girls Championships for 14 years, VM will not be continuing as title sponsor in 2007".

In saying goodbye, VMBS, commended the executive and members of ISSA for their "strong leadership and unwavering commitment to the development of Jamaica's young athletes".

But Star Sports was reliable informed that VMBS and ISSA's 14-year partnership broke down because they could not come to an amicable financial agreement.

When quizzed on the matter, George Forbes, ISSA's competitions director, said he could not comment on that.

Things under control

However, while ISSA has expressed it's appreciation for the unique and critical role that VMBS has played in making Boys' & Girls' Champs the premier high school athletics meet in the world", they said they have things under control for a new sponsor.

Forbes told Star Sports that, "We have a sponsor that we will announce early in the New Year, as early as the first or second week".

Said Forbes: "ISSA was aware of VMBS' decision from early. We were not left hanging . we are in the process of finalising the negotiation with the new sponsor," he said.

Nine months ago at the launch of the championships, President and CEO at VMBS, Richard Powell, said his company was once again pleased to be associated with champs and he looked to continue a long relationship.

At the same launch, telecom giants Cable & Wireless announced it's rights as exclusive telecommunications provider for champs, but C&WJ's vice-president, corporate affairs and corporate communications, Errol Miller, told Powell they weren't here to take champs away from them.

Cable & Wireless at the time handed over $3million to ISSA and it was at that time, ISSA made it clear that the overall budget is set to run over $13 million to cover the event for over 2,400 athletes from 98 boys and 93 girls schools.