Olympic discus champion Roje Stona has doubled down on his decision to change sporting nationality from Jamaica to Turkey, calling it “a smart decision” made to secure his professional future after years of financial strain and inadequate support at home.
Stona is one of four high-profile Jamaican field stars who have accepted Turkish citizenship packages. The others are Olympic shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell, Olympic long jump silver medallist Wayne Pinnock, and Olympic triple jump finalist Jaydon Hibbert. Reports indicate the quartet were lured by a package including roughly US$500,000 signing bonuses, monthly stipends, and multimillion-dollar medal incentives.
For Stona, 26, the choice was pragmatic, not personal. He says loyalty alone cannot sustain an elite career: bills, training environments, medical care, travel, and coaching all require reliable funding. After repeated struggles to access resources in Jamaica even following his breakthrough gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he set a 70.00m championship record he began exploring alternatives.
The situation grew so uncertain that Stona briefly pivoted toward American football. He trained in the sport during the 2024-25 off-season and, by his own telling, came close to signing with an NFL organisation. That experiment delayed the start of his 2025 throwing campaign and underscored how precarious his discus livelihood had become.
Turkey’s offer changed the equation. Guaranteed financial backing allows Stona to re-commit to discus while planning long-term. Under World Athletics transfer rules he must observe a three-year waiting period before representing Turkey, making the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics his earliest major championship in new colours. He appears comfortable with the timeline, focusing on incremental technical gains and consistent competition.
Recent form shows there is work to do. Stona placed fifth at the London Diamond League on 19 July 2025 with 64.71m, short of his 2025 season’s best of 67.19m set at the BFK Games in the Netherlands in June. Still, the security of his new arrangement may provide the stability needed to chase another global title and to prove that, in professional sport, strategic moves can matter as much as national allegiance.
The departures have sparked heated debate across track and field circles. Many Jamaican supporters view the moves as a painful talent drain after decades of national pride in throws and jumps. Others counter that athletes have short earning windows and deserve to maximise opportunity wherever it arises. Stona’s stance may accelerate overdue conversations about funding pathways in smaller federations.
