USATF completely botches selection of 2019 Pan American Games team

every athlete given / taken away a spot has a valid USOC complaint

when will this nightmare end?

I have no idea what these games are about. All sports? Just track? Which countries? All of n and s America's? Id assume that based on name. It'll likely be about impossible to watch them live or after the fact. So who cares? I follow track more than anyone I know and I know nothing about this event.

No one knew or cared what this meet was until now. There’s no prize money, it’s not competitive in most events, and it’s not televised. A good amount of the athletes who accepted will drop their spot once they make the world team. Just LetsRun trying to get everyone to freak out about usatf again.

Panama Games wrote:

I have no idea what these games are about. All sports? Just track? Which countries? All of n and s America's? Id assume that based on name. It'll likely be about impossible to watch them live or after the fact. So who cares? I follow track more than anyone I know and I know nothing about this event.

LetsRuin wrote:

No one knew or cared what this meet was until now. There’s no prize money, it’s not competitive in most events, and it’s not televised. A good amount of the athletes who accepted will drop their spot once they make the world team. Just LetsRun trying to get everyone to freak out about usatf again.

So if a tree falls in the woods it doesn’t make a noise? Personally I’m glad at least one outlet is exposing the level of incompetence that is supposed to be the face of T&F for America. These athletes deserve better, hell the whole country does.

LetsRuin wrote:

No one knew or cared what this meet was until now. There’s no prize money, it’s not competitive in most events, and it’s not televised. A good amount of the athletes who accepted will drop their spot once they make the world team. Just LetsRun trying to get everyone to freak out about usatf again.

Panama Games wrote:

I have no idea what these games are about. All sports? Just track? Which countries? All of n and s America's? Id assume that based on name. It'll likely be about impossible to watch them live or after the fact. So who cares? I follow track more than anyone I know and I know nothing about this event.

The athletes care. Under the new IAAF ranking system, the Pan Am Games are worth more than basically any meet on US soil. If you cannot get in Diamond League meets regularly, this is one of your best chances to score big points... especially since Americans are practically guaranteed to place high in most events, and your place score is a big deal, even if your actual time/distance is not that hot.

Here is my most recent article:

https://www.letsrun.com/news/2019/06/usa-track-and-fields-pan-am-debacle-gets-even-weirder-an-arbitrator-has-apparently-ruled-against-usatf-but-only-in-certain-events/

Does anyone know how to file a Section 9 hearing? I'd like to file one for Tyler Day.

LetsRuin wrote:

No one knew or cared what this meet was until now. There’s no prize money, it’s not competitive in most events, and it’s not televised. A good amount of the athletes who accepted will drop their spot once they make the world team. Just LetsRun trying to get everyone to freak out about usatf again.

You are wrong on so many levels.

1) Most of the guys who are going to make worlds already declined a spot - in the US. Certainly not in Jamaica where world #1s have agreed to race.

2) It is a BIG deal if you've never made a national team before for people like my brother who was twice 4th in the country. To wear your national team colors is always a highlight. Mike Smith told me Tyler Day had already told his family, etc.

3) But let's assume this meet is the worst in the world. Why in the hell should USATF be allowed to go against their own rules. You've got admit, a) changing the rules and b) botching the team with the changed rules is pretty amazing, no?

That's like saying a dictator should be allowed to kill people as long as they aren't important.

And how much to give Max Siegel et al the boot?

I don't understand our legal system. They signed a contract. They broke a contract. Why should anyone except the guilty party have to pay court costs to get them to enforce the contract that they signed?

You’re a drama queen. You cannot equate team selection to a dictator killing people. If you think that’s the case, you’re life priorities are grossly out of whack. There are plenty of athletes who accepted spots that will eventually turn them down. You are correct that it is a big deal for athletes who will likely have a small chance of making any bigger team. I look forward to letsrun’s on site coverage of the PanAm Games this summer because it’s so important to you. You guys better have bodies on site!

What do you expect from USATF? They can't even ensure their regions are well managed from a membership perspective. I've attempted to contact the Michigan USATF President at least a dozen times and cannot get a return call. And we expect this organization to represent the best interest of the athletes and the sport? Please. We'd have a far more balanced team selection process with six squirrels picking acorns from a hat.

It can only be intentional or incompetence

Anyone heard any updates?

USA Track & Field doe not care about athletes.

So why would they be transparent?

Chuck G wrote:

Anyone heard any updates?

Yes I have the latest here:

USATF just invited some, not all, athletes to a conference call tonight. Porter will try to spin as USATF has been doing.

No accountability

A lawyer has agreed to take the case!

Athletes who should be on the team based on 2019 mark + correctly filling out paperwork, but were left off in favor of an athlete with a better 2018 mark, please get in touch with myself or Robert ASAP so we can give you contact info for the lawyer.

New Section 9 complaints filed today.

Sucks for athletes on all sides. I hope the athletes on the team with 2018 marks have not had friends/family buy tickets yet :/

Runnerboy1 wrote:

What do you expect from USATF? They can't even ensure their regions are well managed from a membership perspective. I've attempted to contact the Michigan USATF President at least a dozen times and cannot get a return call. And we expect this organization to represent the best interest of the athletes and the sport? Please. We'd have a far more balanced team selection process with six squirrels picking acorns from a hat.

Agree, and moreover like this suggestion for a selection process.