The 2026 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow 2026, get underway in Scotland’s largest city on July 23, without 2022 silver medallist Julien Alfred. The Saint Lucia Olympic Committee Inc (SLOC) is “extremely disappointed” at her absence.
Two weeks ago, on July 1, the SLOC announced its team for the XXIII Commonwealth Games, contesting just one of the multi-sport meet’s 10 disciplines. Khailan Vitalis will go in men’s 110m hurdles, with Michael Joseph and Marvric Pamphile in men’s 400m.
St Lucia Times noted Alfred’s absence at the time, given her previous comments regarding the Games. “I’m looking forward to Glasgow 2026,” she said in January. “I want to add to my collection of medals and the Commonwealth title is very much one I would like to add.”
Ahead of last weekend’s Monaco Diamond League, the 25-year-old Ciceron native confirmed she would not be in Glasgow. “It just doesn’t work with my schedule as of now, so no, I won’t be,” she told reporters.
On Wednesday, July 15, the SLOC, led by president Alfred Emmanuel, issued an unsigned, unattributed statement on the matter, but one that sheds little light.
“The Saint Lucia Olympic Committee Inc. / Saint Lucia Commonwealth Games Association is extremely disappointed re Julien Alfred’s non participation at this year’s Commonwealth Games,” the statement read.
The SLOC declared that it had had assurances from the Olympic 100m champion and her athlete representative, Bahamian native Henry Rolle, that she would have been in Glasgow.
“Following talks with both Alfred and her manager Henry Rolles [sic] in 2025, our organisation was told that the Commonwealth Games would be included in her 2026 schedule,” the SLOC asserted.
The body said it learned that Alfred would not be in Glasgow after an undated meeting with the Saint Lucia Athletics Association (SLAA). But despite having previously had direct contact with Alfred and her agent, the SLOC directed the SLAA to take up the baton.
“Having received this unfortunate news, we requested from the Athletics Association to obtain full disclosure from Julien’s management team as to why the commitment given to participate in 2025 has now been withdrawn,” the SLOC stated, before going on to report that Rolle returned a one-line response to the SLAA.
At that point, the SLOC said it contacted Rolle, “seeking full disclosure.” The SLOC said they received “a rather lengthy response,” but opted not to share its contents, noting only that they considered the correspondence “rather unfortunate.”
The SLOC went on to explain that there is “a clear pathway for all athletes hoping to represent our nation at the 2028 Summer Olympics.” They said that they will work with member federations “to ensure that Saint Lucia’s eligible athletes are afforded every opportunity to prepare for and excel at the highest levels of international competition.”
The SLOC reiterated its disappointment, but ended by looking forward to “supporting [Alfred’s] future international engagements under our banner in the leadup to LA 2028.”
It appears to be a question of priorities, participating in races which are more viable on the world stage. There’s the London Athletics Meet on 18th July, for example.
Is that visa-requirement an issue?
Give the girl a break, let her breathe and enjoy her life like a normal person. We like to put loads on People’s back just to have something to rejoice about be it good or bad. So what? She will miss a game, she’s done a lot, give her a dam break…