US Track and Field chief hits out at unsporting Brits
From James Toney, Sportsbeat, and Steven Downes, in Berlin
THE most powerful man in US athletics has expressed surprise at the conduct of the Great Britain team at the World Athletics Championships.
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP?: US Track and Field boss Doug Logan is not happy with British head coach Charles van Commenee (USTAF/Getty Images)
US Track and Field, headed by chief executive Doug Logan, remain furious with UK Athletics officials 48 hours after Friday's controversial men's sprint relay heat.
Although both Great Britain and the USA qualified with ease, Charles Van Commenee's team claimed that an American changeover was illegal.
Officials reviewed the evidence provided by Great Britain and duly disqualified the USA.
Britain then took advantage one night later to claim bronze behind the much superior quartets from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
“One of the highest-ranking Brits in all of sport approached me after the men's 100-metre final and openly discussed his admiration for the way Tyson Gay carried himself in defeat,” said Logan.
“He described it as the finest display of sportsmanship he had ever seen.
“Having our friends from the playing fields of Eton then file their protest against us certainly hurt.”
Logan also claimed his US team – which top the medal table with ten golds, six silvers and six bronzes – would never stoop so low.
“There is an element of politics and sportsmanship that goes into any country's decision to lodge or not lodge a protest,” he added.
“While our competitive status makes us targets, it also makes us hesitant to file protests against other countries' athletes, except when medals or the ability of our athletes to advance through the rounds is at stake.
“For instance, in the men's 110-metre hurdle heats here in Berlin, a competitor had clearly run in one of our athlete's lanes.
“But because our athlete qualified with no problem, we didn't file a protest. It simply would be bad international relations.”
But Van Commenee – who was delighted with a haul of six medals in Berlin, one more than a pre-championship prediction that had looked optimistic – hit back.
He claimed Great Britain did not lodge a protest but admitted evidence from their video support staff had been used by judges.
"I just reminded the officials of their job - they needed a bit of help,” he said.
"We tell our athletes to be alert on the track, and officials need to be alert off the track.
"We practise hard to get the baton round safely and within the rules, and those rules need to be applied fairly."
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Comments
What if
What if the Jamaicans team had done a similar illegal exchange, would the USA have protested? Chances are they would have because it would have increased their chance of getting Gold if Jamaica was out! Remember the 200m in Beijing..they protested their own, Wallace Spearmon, remember him?
The US won by medal count, but when matched up against Jamaica's 2.8 million population, I'd say Jamaica won. Do the maths!! 300 million and 22 medals against 2.8 million and 13 medals. By any count that is a much greater performance by Jamaica.
No Excuse
There really is no excuse for this continuation of US 4x100 misfortune. Darvis Patton...anchor? What were they thinking? If Patton wasn't so slow taking off, the entire exchange process would have taken place well within the passing zone. Had this deficiency been recognized and addressed during practice, (They do still practice don't they?) adjustments (personnel and/or step counts) could have been made accordingly to ensure a clean race. Had that been the case, the U.S. qualifies for the final and finishes a close second to another Jamaican world record.
A lot of hate here
The US relay passing zone infraction was debatable. There was contact with the baton just outside of the zone (marginally) but the actual pass happened within the required zone.
The pass did not have a material effect on the outcome of that heat. It did not provide the US with any advantage, and the video replays could not be said to provide indisputable evidence of a violation.
That's the source of contention.
As an American and track fan, I can easily say that I cheer on the British athletes without hesitation as well as athletes from other countries. Paula Radcliffe is my favorite female runner. She is a warrior. The hate toward the US on this board is palpable, and it clearly extends beyond track and field. Perhaps some of you can rise above your hate.
As for myself, I will continue to watch international track and field competition and enjoy the personal stories of triumph. Track and field is not about nationalism. For poster No. 2, if you are that sure that the US is getting their tails wiped, I would advise you to check the final medal count. It's included in the article. But then again, medal counts mean nothing.
What Morals
American morals again. If it affects us, we protest if not to bad for everyone else. This is what passes for sportsmanship. Once no one is looking friends should stay quiet and let misdeeds go unpinished. Do not snitch, I guess is not just for ghetto people.
These statements are so low class it's not funny. We did wrong, and the one person seeing should stay quiet. Makes you wonder about all the drug cheats the USTAF is hiding
i think what wrong with the
i think what wrong with the americans is the fact that they are getting their tails wipe all over the place and they can not take it...
please,he needs to go back
please,he needs to go back to the olympics last year when hrs later they protest the silver medal in the 200m finals
please
doug logan needs to shut up! usa made an illegal pass! Peroid! Britain did the right thing. Why does usa think that they are always above the rules and regulations of other governing bodies? Despicable!!!!!!!!!!! I am glad the brits stood up to them.
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