The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) has started investigations into the non-participation of several top-billed athletes at the University of Technology (UTech) Track and Field Classic held at the National Stadium last Saturday.

David Miller, executive director of the FTC, said the commission, acting on complaints from the public, has been gathering information on the meet since Wednesday, and could, as early as next month, prepare a report on the findings.

It was advertised that athletes such as former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell, Olympic 400m silver medallist Shericka Williams, and Trinidad and Tobago's Darrell Brown would have participated, but they did not. Powell's coach withdrew him on the day of the meet, Williams was mourning the death of her grandmother, while Brown had not fully recovered from an operation he had after the Beijing Olympics.

Breach

According to Miller, if the allegations prove to be true this would constitute a breach of the Fair Competitions Act which, upon conviction in court, could result in a maximum fine of $5 million. Hector Wheeler, a member of the Classic's organising committee, and head of the Department of Advancement at UTech, said he was aware of the investigations, but at this time could not comment on the matter.

"We had a press conference on Tuesday and all the relevant persons as it relates to the organisation of the meet were there. That was the moment for questions. Right now these persons are not here and I can't really give a response," Wheeler said.