Julia Somers wrote:
You know what irritates me about this whole situation? Sarah Brown. You know why? You didn't see her give up her spot after the USATF messed up a year ago and put her in the 1500 in worlds instead of asking Shannon Rowbury (A Nike athlete) first.
http://www.letsrun.com/news/2013/08/shannon-rowbury-has-some-strong-words-for-usatf-for-being-left-off-1500m-team-for-worlds/I'm sorry but honey, if you're going to appreciate it when the USATF messes up in your favor, then don't act like you matter and protest when the USATF rules against someone who is not a Nike athlete.
Obviously the USATF made themselves look like idiots by making it look like they were jerked around by Nike, but realistically Gabe was an idiot and bumped into the back of people. She could have avoided all of this by simply not racing like an idiot. In Shannon Rowbury's case, a case could not have been made that the USATF was in the right, they were clearly in the wrong. You didn't see anyone tell Sarah Brown to give up her spot, or even make a huge deal about it at all.
But even if Sarah Brown had turned around and said "I'm not running, because Shannon Rowbury should run", it wouldn't have worked out like that. Rowbury and Simms didn't email USATF and USATF hadn't listed her for Worlds, as per the World Championships criteria and deadlines. If Sarah had refused, there would have just been one less US athlete in the 1500.
There was a series of mistakes in that case and they aren't really comparable.