Adaejah T. Hodge 'not permitted to accept cash awards'- Steve Augustine
Speaking at the official recognition event held at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, following a celebratory motorcade in honour of the Territory's Commonwealth Games heroes, Augustine explained the association's position on maintaining collegiate eligibility for student-athletes.
Past awardees
"In the past, we would have awarded persons like a professional athlete, two-time Commonwealth Games champ, World Silver Medalist [Kyron A. McMaster]," Augustine noted, acknowledging the traditional approach to recognising athletic excellence.
"But on a matter of clarification, Adaejah T. Hodge is indeed our Commonwealth Games 200-meter gold medalist and record holder," he affirmed.
The BVIAA's cash awards structure was established to reward top-performing medal-winning athletes at championships and games financially. However, Augustine emphasised that Hodge, as an athlete who falls under the rules and regulations of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), is not permitted to accept cash awards for medalling, as this would compromise her eligibility.
"As president of the BVIAA, we have a responsibility to ensure collegiate athletes maintain compliance with these rules and regulations," Augustine stated.
Hodge is a student athlete at the University of Georgia.
Community honours historic gold medalist
The clarification came during a day of celebration for Hodge, who made history on July 31, 2026, by becoming the first female athlete from the Virgin Islands to win Commonwealth Games gold.
The 20-year-old sprinter clocked 22.07 seconds in the women's 200-meter final at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, also setting a new Commonwealth Games record of 22.01 seconds in the semifinals the day before.
The BVIAA president's statement serves as both a clarification of existing policy and a reminder of the complex regulatory landscape that governs collegiate athletics, particularly for athletes competing at the highest international levels while maintaining NCAA eligibility.
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35 Responses to “Adaejah T. Hodge 'not permitted to accept cash awards'- Steve Augustine”
Many countries, including British Overseas Territories loffer cash bonuses or grants to medal‑winning athletes.
These payments are considered national rewards, not professional earnings, so they don’t violate NCAA amateur status.
The NCAA allows athletes to accept prizes or stipends from non‑NCAA events (Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Championships) as long as they come from recognized governing bodies or governments, not from professional contracts
Facts not fiction
This rests wih the school Mr.Augustine.
Let's just congratulate and move on.
Where is the physique, commensurate, with that of someone in DIRECTORSHIP, of sports?
And got the nerve to chastise athletes in their performance, while posing no example, of how an athlete should look!
HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED, OF HIMSELF!!!
@ Nonsense. BS. Pure hate.
It’s sad to see that u really can’t read or do research you just go off wa u hear explain to me how she is currently better than McMaster when the only medal she has to her name is the commonwealth games gold when Kyron has 2 and he also has just about every medal from every major competition except the Olympics which he has the highest finish from any bvi athlete to ever attend the games. So do your research before u come on here talking wa she people telling ayo to get ayo hype up to talk sh**.
And further more she would never surpass McMaster in any way no matter what she does or achieve because he went his whole career without ever receiving a doping violation or suspension.
Go ask her where her world jr medal and world record is
When u if it come back and let me know if she can find it.
Until then learn some respect.
Just tell your Husband niece Congrats.