They are doing what almost everyone does in their careers- acting in their own self interests. I don't fault them.However, imagine how much publicity with hard core runners they would have gotten if they showed up at World XC and gave it a go. One could make the bigger view that if you got beyond a very short sighted traditional view it would be beneficial for them to run World XC.
HRE wrote:
Most people here seem to want running to be a professional sport. Professional athletes need to do what seems in the best interests of their careers and finances.
Running IS a professional sport. However, I believe the sport would benefit if athletes were incentivized to not act only in their traditional short term interests. Another way would put it would be the sport would be better off if they were forced to compete in certain events (and be compensated for competing there).
Nearly every sport that is successful has a body exerting some market control. Team sports obviously have leagues that control where people play. The PGA Tour and tennis have rules that make the athletes compete in so many events if they want to keep their cards/get ranking points. A problem with track and field is athletes don't have to compete anywhere. They generally are just free agents. It it something the sport should try and change.
Think about the Olympic Trials. I would argue the sport is better off because athletes have to compete at the Trials. The US could select its team by committee or something but the Olympic Trials are great for the sport. They are one of the few meets athletes are forced to compete at (if they want to go to the Olympics). Thus it becomes in the athletes interests to compete at the Trials.
The IAAF needs to make it in countries/individual interests to compete at World XC. I think the easiest way to do this would be to tie it to participation at other events.
At the very least the IAAF could say to federations, "You want to compete at Worlds on the track? you have to send a team to world XC." Or come up with a system where the X top ranked distance teams had to send teams or they lose spots at Worlds on the track. There are ways to do this. Ie countries with only 3 guys in the top 50 at World XC get 3 entries in the 10k at Worlds.
Somehow the PGA tour and tennis get around the anti-trust concerns. Track needs to as well.