We wonder if it's normal for an official to tell a coach about a foul he admits he didn't see. Then we start to go off into la-la conspiracy land as we notice a key part of the report regarding Salazar shows up in a different font. To us, the whole report reads like a 5th grader's book report, not a report worthy analysis of a decision that (illegally) fixed the outcome of a national championship race.

"For some reason, USATF chose to stall. Maybe the leadership wanted emotions to cool, but I think it was a public relations disaster. It made the people running USATF look either distant and out of touch (best case) or calculating and inept (worst case)."

The report says the "new conclusive evidence" was the same footage on a true monitor with zoom capabilities since the initial ruling was made with a "fuzzy" projection on a "bed sheet". Barker claims the rules were still violated as the committee allowed an additional appeal before the higher-quality video was even on the table.

President  Stephanie Hightower: "What we have seen in this instance, as well as other competition-related controversies in recent years, is that our rules in some cases fail to address how to decide certain field-of-play issues, as well as who should decide them. The group’s recommendations will provide the blueprint for eliminating the shortcomings of our current rules and processes to decrease the chances of similar situations happening in the future.”

The report doesn't take a side in whether there should have been DQs or not, but does finally acknowledge that the DQ of Andrew Bumbalough was a case of mistaken identity. The report also makes a number of suggestions for rule changes to help with the vague wording and make for a more clear process for the jury of appeals and for correcting mistakes later on. It even addresses the accusations of Nike's/Alberto Salazar's influence and calls for a more private setting for the jury of appeals to work.

In the aftermath of USATF accidentally released the DQ video Jill Greer said that the working group's report will be done in June. We agree with Goe that it's ridiculous it's taken this long.

The most recent Gabriele Grunewald DQ episode is just the latest in a series of controversies which Lovett follows back to the 1996 Olympic Trials.

The group is led USATF board member Bob Hersh and includes USATF Rules Committee chair John Blackburn, Athletes Advisory Committee chair Jon Drummond, athlete board representative Darvis Patton and Women’s Development chair Rose Monday.
*More Info On The ABQ Controversies In Our "USATF Controversy" Section

Sadly, the one consistent thing about USATF is that its rules are vague or simply ignored. Greg Harger of the Indiana Invaders points out how USATF ignored its own rules in overturning its Gabe Grunewald DQ.

The meeting was supposed to be Monday and the article doesn't say when it's been rescheduled for.