Is the Maurie Plant Memorial Race at the Impossible Games, named after the same notorious manager who was caught swapping urine samples back in the 80's and was handed a lifetime ban? If so, it looks like the IAAF & Lord Coe are still happy to celebrate and honor its corrupt ways. Does anyone have any more info on this?
https://indymedia.org.au/2013/04/27/maurie-plant-dodges-question-on-drug-test-corruption.html
WADA wrote:
Is the Maurie Plant Memorial Race at the Impossible Games, named after the same notorious manager who was caught swapping urine samples back in the 80's and was handed a lifetime ban? If so, it looks like the IAAF & Lord Coe are still happy to celebrate and honor its corrupt ways. Does anyone have any more info on this?
Birds of a feather...
https://www.athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/tributes-paid-to-maurie-plant-1039927573/Two-time Olympic 1500m gold medallist and World Athletics president Seb Coe was also among those share tributes on social media and said: “Athletics has lost one of its truest and passionate friends and so many of us have lost a great mate. Maurie Plant we will miss you so much.”
Nice to see old man Manangoi back in action
Assuming this is the official Maurie Plant Memorial Race thread, here's what Kenyan journalist Elias Makori posted about it on Instagram:
Team Ingebrigtsen vs Team Cheruiyot (Maurie Plant Memorial Virtual Race): Norway’s Ingebrigtsen brothers - Henrik, Filip and Jakob – are an exceptional distance running trio.
So determined they are to crush the myth that East Africans were destined to dominate middle and long distance races on the track (and road), that they have dared Kenya’s world beaters to a virtual, 2,000-metre race to be run simultaneously in Nairobi and Oslo (Bislett) on June 11.
The Ingebrigtsens will enjoy a slight advantage as they have already been in training much longer then their Kenyan opponents – led by Commonwealth 1,500 metres champion Elijah Manang’oi and world champion and Diamond League winner Timothy Cheruiyot.
The Norwegian triumvirate will also have the advantage of running practically at sea level (just 37 metres in Bislett), while their Kenyan rivals will be high up at 1,795 metres.
Some race facts from the organisers:
- This will be the first virtual race at such level in the history of athletics;
- Team Ingebrigtsen runs at Bislett while Team Cheruiyot will run in Nairobi; - The race will be shown on international TV as a split screen competition; - Both teams will start with five runners and will have to finish with three; - The winner of the match will be the team with the best overall time for three runners, but the individual times will count as well;
- Steve Cram will do the commentary for what’s now being referred to as “The Impossible Games”. (Note: Steve Cram holds the European record over the 2,000m distance at 4:51.39 which the Ingebrigtsen brothers will also be trying to break on June 11). Who are you putting your money on?
Of course, I say: Go Team Cheruiyot!!!!
Interesting.
Coach Bernard Ouma was interviewed by Kenyan TV a few weeks back about the challenges and disruptions Kenya's lockdown measures had wreaked on the RAC. 90% of athletes were sent home back in April.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-wzpGDH3HF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Perhaps the mods should change the title of the thread? Or maybe merge it with an existing discussion of the event?
El Keniano wrote:
Coach Bernard Ouma was interviewed by Kenyan TV a few weeks back about the challenges and disruptions Kenya's lockdown measures had wreaked on the RAC. 90% of athletes were sent home back in April.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-wzpGDH3HF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Manangoi posted a pic of him and Tim training together (standing very close together on the track) several weeks ago. Obviously they weren't part of that 90%.
Not sure what advantage that gives the Ingebrigtsens.
The “Maurie Plant Memorial Race” - lol ... Another master stroke by the World Athletics PR department!
What will have next the “Alberto Salazar 10k” and “Marion Jones sprint”?
Lance88 wrote:
The “Maurie Plant Memorial Race” - lol ... Another master stroke by the World Athletics PR department!
What will have next the “Alberto Salazar 10k” and “Marion Jones sprint”?
Well, he is of their kind.
^ *was
WADA wrote:
Is the Maurie Plant Memorial Race at the Impossible Games, named after the same notorious manager who was caught swapping urine samples back in the 80's and was handed a lifetime ban? If so, it looks like the IAAF & Lord Coe are still happy to celebrate and honor its corrupt ways. Does anyone have any more info on this?
It looks like the name and tribute comes from the "Bislett Alliance", and not World Athletics, IAAF or Lord Coe.
"The Bislett Alliance wants to pay tribute to the legendary Maurie Plant..."
Coevett wrote:
Manangoi posted a pic of him and Tim training together (standing very close together on the track) several weeks ago. Obviously they weren't part of that 90%.
Not sure what advantage that gives the Ingebrigtsens.
No reason to disbelieve the coach. The Ingebrigtsens have all the advantages mentioned in my post. They're also that threw down the challenge and chose the RAC. Also, in addition to the altitude, former sprinter Manangoi is more speed-based than endurance so 2000m might be a lap too far.
Nice shot of the RAC track sessions. Looks like George hasn't started training so he won't participate.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAwwb8TH8-w/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Maurie Plant, good old Andy Norman's bagsman. Most will sing his praises, but no one has ever explained how he was able to get out of a lifetime ban. I would love to know?
I came to the conclusion long ago that there is no such thing as transparency in this sport.
Aussie Bagsman wrote:
Maurie Plant, good old Andy Norman's bagsman. Most will sing his praises, but no one has ever explained how he was able to get out of a lifetime ban. I would love to know?
Ask Drummond.
Aussie Bagsman wrote:
I came to the conclusion long ago that there is no such thing as transparency in this sport.
That goes without saying. Coe and Co are actively fighting against it.
El Keniano / El Bigote this thread is discussing crooked Maurie not the actual race!
The official race thread is here
https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=10030767&page=1#10033788
^ Thanks. I hadn’t seen it. I’m off. I want no part of dishonouring the memory of some guy I wasn’t too familiar with.
Not sure it is about “dishonoring”.... possibly bringing some facts to light!
Our priorities should be cleaning up our sport and hunting out any rats still involved.... This should be from the top down (within World Athletics/IAAF.. the agents/ managers... coaches) more so than from the bottom up (athletes that are also in the wrong! but often younger, more naive and easily impressionable)
Aussie Bagsman wrote:
Maurie Plant, good old Andy Norman's bagsman. Most will sing his praises, but no one has ever explained how he was able to get out of a lifetime ban. I would love to know?
I came to the conclusion long ago that there is no such thing as transparency in this sport.
The meet honoring someone who received a lifetime ban is back in 2023.