Aussie 1500m champ w/qualifying time left off WC team

That should read:

"Road to Tokyo 2020" (i.e. 2021).

Sorry, i missed this, as counter pointed out Aurore withdrew bumping caldwell from unqualified to qualified. Appologies you were right.

Let's face it, Caldwell was robbed full stop. I think they call this highway robbery Down Under.

Just heard that Mo Farrah and Matt Centrowitz have reached out to Australian
1500m Champion, Abbey Caldwell, following the her non selection at World
Championships by what many see as a corrupt process by Athletics Australia.

Good to see the greats of our sport caring for one of their own. Still nothing from AA’s CEO who interestingly has endorsed Nick Bideau on Linkedin.

Well how about we list the number of times hes cheated on his wife to sleep with his athletes. Is that a start?

Cathy Freeman

******* (name removed by LetsRun.com)

These 2 are the most well doccumented and well known amongst the Australian running community.

We could add the fact that he blacklists athletes and tells his group to completely isolate and actively exclude athletes that say no to him (Linden Hall her first year as a Professional)
How about the times that he has assulted athletes at warm up tracks when they have spoken out against him (2019 nationals he grabbed an athlete by the throat and told him he would rip it out if he kept talking)

Or what about the time he tried to contact sponors about athletes not wearing their sponsors kit when they are instead in the team uniform at world champs?

I could go on and on and on, these stories are endless and i've just listed the ones that are considered public knowledge, there are hundreds more that people could share.

Nice if true, but where did you hear this? Still nothing published in any official media about the controversy. You'd think if Centro and Farah have an opinion there would be

I talked to Caldwell yesterday after her 2:00.03. She has already moved on from not being selected for the World Championships and she is excited to see how fast she can run the rest of this summer.

we want more dirt!

?? Give us the goss. when did that happen

Yes, direct from Abbey's coach. Both reached out to Abbey. Now that's class and care for your fellow athlete.

Hi Nic!!!

(or Nic's friend/family)

Although Caldwell’s case has provided an insight into the inner world of AA double-dealing, it is definitely not the first. There have been numerous cases in the past thirty years where standards were set and moved, leaving many athletes isolated with shattered dreams.

As we all know, the sport lacks integrity and transparency. There is simply too many rumours about Bideau and the Melbourne Track Club mafia shady dealings not to investigate. No smoke without a fire.

One of interest in recent times is Bideau’s stint as head distance coach at Qatar Athletics. It would be great to get a fact check on this... There are strong rumours that Bideau was fired from this position; of which he ended up being held in Qatar, while an investigation was undertaken revolving around issues including the exploitation of athlete stipends.

There are also a string of relationships with vulnerable athletes, but I rather take a look at two of his business relationships (the track mafia), than his ‘personal’ youthful ones, as this gives you an indicator of the behind the closed door scenes in the world of athletics.
What about Nic’s right hand man for many years - Maurie Plant (RIP)? He was given a life ban from the sport for drugs in the 80’s (search up “The Black Report”).
How did Maurie continue to stay in the sport as such an influential figure in the world of athletics?
Maybe Salazar should make a comeback as Bideau’s right hand man?

And, of course there is long time friend and business partner of Maurie and Nic, the shifty Dr. Brian Roe. A journalist, lawyer and sports administrator.
Who guess what?.. is currently in charge of Athletics Australia’s ethics and integrity unit - lol.
Roe has been involved in the sports administration in the highest level since the early 80’s. Roe is Athletic Australia’s (AA) acclaimed international technical official, who at many times is World Athletics go to man. His involvement in the sport includes/d roles as the competition manager of Athletics Australia dysfunctional track meets, AA doping control, team manager and selection chair, a delegate to the corrupt IAAF congress, a prominent role in the Doha World Champion$hip bid, and the chairman of ‘Supershoe review group’ (which if you ask me, was and is still a shemozzle). Reality is Roe has been an overseeing figure in the sports decline, who has either been a poorly blinded sports administrator or was a central figure among$t it all. Roe also played a role as an athlete representative (conflict) and a key in getting Nic’s athletes into global status meets, while others didn’t. Did I say lawyer? Now you know why Caldwell’s legal protest never stood a chance. Did I say journalist? Now you know at this moment why there has been limited media attention.

Going back, in a brief period in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, a new AA board tried to remove Brian Roe, Maurie Plant and Nic Bideau as they were seen as a road blocks to the integrity and progress of the sport. Interestingly, during this time Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery refused to race down under unless Plant was involved in negotiations. hmmm...

Hopefully this gives you all a snapshot of the integrity and transparency within Australian and World Athletics. Athletes be careful who you join, as people will judge you.

Thanks Doug

Well a shame that this has happened to a young rising star.

Imagine the publicity this would have received if it was swimming?

After the USATF Distance Classic, the Letsrun article about the meet said this about Abbey Caldwell:

"dipping under the 4:04.20 standard with a 4:04.18 clocking that guaranteed her a spot at Worlds."

Turns out it wasn't the guarantee that people thought it was.

What was the exact date that the Australian team was announced? This thread was started on July 5. Was that the day of the announcement?

The reason I'm asking is because Abbey Caldwell ran a not very good 2:05 on July 2. I wonder if the people in Australian who pick the team thought that her 2:05 meant she was out of shape?

Let's be honest. A 2:05 is not a good time for a world championship level 1500 runner. Could that have had something to do with their decision?

Aren't athletes permitted to have an off day? Maybe it was run to replicate the last 800 of a 1500? Jacob runs 800m about the standard of a good college kid yet he is thr Olympic 1500m champion. Few points for you to ponder.

I don't have to ponder about people having an off day or not since I'm not the one who decided to replace Abbey Caldwell with someone else.

I'm simply asking this question - what was the exact date that the official announcement was made that left her off the team?

The athletes knew before this date but were not allowed to publicly say anything because the appeal was going on. This was her first race since arriving in the US and knowing she had missed selection.