Andy Norman dead

Bloody hell!

One of the greats of UK athletics during the 80's. Bit of a rough diamond but he got results.

Andy always cut me slack. Some times I deserved it, other times not.

He was the first IAAF meetings director to reach out to me when I was just getting started. I was always grateful.

Sorry to hear this news.

Damn I thought somebody was winding me up. Might shock a few of my friends until they read it was my namesake! Condolences to his friends and family.

Another Andy Norman.

Sad news. Steve Ovett was like a son to him. I believe he was the best man at Steve's wedding. We all have that sword hanging over our head. Gotta make the most of this time we have, never know when the sword will drop.

yes i also thought it was referring to stormin when i first read that.

however, still a tragic loss of someone who did a great deal for the sport

The geezers at track & field news are already bashing him.

Wow! King Norman Has Left The Building??? His influence was huge.

sad news as he was the guy behind most of the big meeings in the uk golden era. i only have good memories of andy as he was one of the few people that 'called a spade a spade', and if you ran shit he told you!

RIP

Stormin wrote:

Damn I thought somebody was winding me up. Might shock a few of my friends until they read it was my namesake! Condolences to his friends and family.

Another Andy Norman.

I was going to ask if they meant you. Not familiar with this other guy, but I'm an American.

Andy Norman was involved in one of the most unique experiences of my track life. A bit of a misunderstanding, but he went with it.

Didn't Ovett have a really bad falling out with Norman. I really don't think they were best friends in recent years.

yeah I thought it was the former Tulsa runner...

ghost wrote:

Andy Norman was also responsible for the suicide of Cliff Temple.

Sorry, Cliff Temple is responsible for his own demise. He had improper relations with a married woman, and when Norman exposed the affair, Temple, like all cowards do, killed himself.

Wasn't Cliff Temple coaching the young Paula Radcliffe about the time of his suicide?

Remember Andy getting pissed at Allen James at the USATF athletes advisory committee meeting in Las Vegas (Andy I believe was invited by Ollan Cassell) when Allen asked about why there was no race walk in the USA/GBR dual meet (which Andy promoted).

Several athletes in high profile events had to intercede and tell Allen to STFU...you didn't want to mess with Andy if you ever wanted to compete in his meets, especially knowing that if you produced, he'd take care of you.

Just want to say how sad this is... am sure lots of people will have stories and hope they can be kept respectful.

He always looked after his athletes and always made sure that those who went for medals got the chance to compete-he did not believe in money making runners and at the end of the day created more winners, athletes and medals than any country ever has.

Best wishes to Fatima and Ryan.

Yes, that may be so, but I think it was not right for Andy to harrass poor Cliff to the point which led Cliff to take his own life, and the version I heard was that Andy insinuated that Cliff had a penchant for girl athletes who were younger than 18, and that Andy spread that news around, creating a scandal which was too much for Cliff to bear. According to my sources, Cliff Temple never did anything wrong, and was always a gentleman. Andy exaggerated the whole affair.

That was not right, and Andy should have been reprimanded for that, but he never was. People were scared of Andy, and his formidable presence, but it does not excuse what he did to Cliff. It should never have been made public.

Ghost in Korea

Lots of rumours that he also knew who would be tested in races and advised athletes (or rather his athletes) where they should not finish!

ghost wrote:

Yes, that may be so, but I think it was not right for Andy to harrass poor Cliff to the point which led Cliff to take his own life, and the version I heard was that Andy insinuated that Cliff had a penchant for girl athletes who were younger than 18, and that Andy spread that news around, creating a scandal which was too much for Cliff to bear.

John Mark Karr is a gentleman too.

The most logical way to look at it would be that the truth came out. Innocent people don't commit suicide over false rumors. You can call me a pedophile all you want, I'll never commit suicide over it.

At the end of the day athletics would not be what it is today without the guy so lets leave the Cliff Saga alone and out of it.

Great man and a great friend.