Title sponsor GraceKennedy is urging student participants at the ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletic Championships against making any gestures of violence amid concerns of overexuberant showboating at the annual development meet.

GraceKennedy, in a statement yesterday (March 31), said it has noted images and videos circulating in traditional media and online, depicting a young male athlete making a violent hand gesture upon winning a race.

The regional conglomerate indicated that in response, it engaged with the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) regarding the applicable policies governing such actions, and what steps are being taken to address the incident and prevent a recurrence.

“GraceKennedy takes this opportunity to publicly state that we reject all forms of violence, and any gestures which may instigate violent acts, at Champs or otherwise,” the group said.

“We also take this opportunity to remind all Champs participants, spectators, and supporters to let true sportsmanship and good camaraderie be the order of the day,” added GraceKennedy.