I'm outraged that Francine Niyonsaba was DQd from Worlds. And you should be too.

Obv if they don't let her see the video that is a major problem. I watched that heat -not with laser focus- but still the only problem that was remotely noticeable was the mccoglan thing which she was not involved in

Agreed, this is an absolute disgrace.

Agree with every word.

fight the good fight ROJO. this is absolutely disgraceful. Main stream media needs to pick this up and have a discussion about how the inconsistencies with this rule.

I agree the rule needs changing, perhaps one step inside allowed.

The world feed replay doesn't show it, cutting to triple jump and shot during the race. Why do they do this?

It shows Niyonsaba being crowded by McColgan with 4 laps to go. Niyonsaba gained no advantage from what I could see when watching it live. Very disappointing that she was DQd.

Niyonsaba was only in the event at all due to absurd inconsistencies in the rules. To say she has an advantage over non-intersex women over 400-1500m but not in the 5k is ridiculous. The powers in charge were clearly just hoping she wouldn't qualify, because they were too cowardly to put a complete ban in place. Instead, they're trying to get her out of the games for any minor infraction they can think of or make up. I don't believe she should be allowed to compete without hormone adjustments, but that said I have tremendous sympathy for her and can't help but admire her determination.

But why have rules then?

Here's what I see constantly on letsrun.

If an athlete that people really really really like gets an unfavorable decision based on an in-place rule, you want the whole rule changed, whereas if the athlete is unknown or fairly new, then you wonder why the rule wasn't enforced.

Officials in track, referees in football, soccer, etc. and umpires in baseball are not robotic and some may enforce the rules closer to the letter.

Because Francine Niyonsaba was favored by many going in doesn't mean a rule should have to universally switch. What about Jessie Knight? She no doubt was thrown off by a controversial second gun and re-start. But because she officially re-started, her race ended early as she ran into the hurdle.

The minute we start demanding changes (allowing marijuana, no doping checks, allowing for a few step-offs, rabbiting in Worlds or Olympics) we risk fracturing the very fibers upon which the sport is based.

Furthermore, if they are going to hardline the Semenyas and Niyonsabas, and the Richardsons and the Colemans, etc. then they need to keep their standard within the rules, which they did.

Had she stepped off at all, it risks being called a violation.

Some umps call every balk; some don't.

Some referees call every travel or moving screen; some don't.

A rule in writing is always enforceable.

We need transparency. She gets DQd but Nijel Amos who appeared to many to have taken Isaiah Jewett out from behind gets put in the final? And I love Amos. He's my guy.

My piece is even more relevant now.

Did nobody else see that Mekdes Abebe stepped inside the rail coming off of a barrier on the final lap of the steeple? Wouldn’t that fall in the same lines and be a DQ?

rojo wrote:

Rule 17.3.2 is not a good one. The rule book needs an overhaul. More troubling to me, however, is the lack of consistency and transparency from World Athletics in the implication of the rules.

They've told both me and even Niyonsaba herself that she can't see the video used to DQ her. Her coach supposedly saw it and claims he saw no rule infraction.

Here is my column on the whole ridiculousness. When are we going to get change? We had this same problem 5 years ago.

https://twitter.com/letsrundotcom/status/1421774625860636674

PS. Please keep this on topic. I do not want this to turn into a thread about intersex athletes. I want it to be about the rules and DQ process that has hurt the likes of Kemboi 5 years ago, Quigely 4 years ago and now Niyonsaba.

Coming from one who has practiced law for years, the accusers (the IOC/Refs - whoever DQ'd her) should at least provide some definitive proof to the accused that an infraction occurred. The fact she had to find out from the media she had been DQ'd is insulting to the athlete. And why not show the infraction to the media. I have reviewed what's on line several times and fail to see any infraction, that's not to say it didn't happen, but why not publicly show us the proof, especially in a race where it probably made ZERO difference in the outcome.

Robert,

Thank you for standing up for Francine.

What I see is her chop her steps and lightly fend off the blonde, white-shirt runner. She did well to prevent what may have resulted in the two leaders being taken down from behind.

The white-shirt runner was moving up, changing her position.

And...I did not see a red flag go up.

We have transparency. It's the written rules.

Every written rule is enforceable. This doesn't mean that it is enforced, but that it can be.

Look at Zola Budd. While she was initially disqualified, it was reversed and watching footage in slow motion, the reversal was a good call.

Hypothetically, there could have been no initial DQ and while likely right, it would have had a major outrage against tye decision.

You have a case if and only if the officials overseeing the Amos/Jewett race were the exact same ones as those for the Niyonsaba case.

We can't Jamie Sale every rule because it's unfavorable to some, if you catch my drift.

Plenty of better athletes than niyonsaba have been disqualified for infringing this rule. This is just clickbait.

Filip Ingebrigtsen for instance got hateful comments on here for it. Niyonsaba by contrast is treated as a fallen angel.

As a woman, of course I'm not allowed to discuss what I think of this athlete.

Yes, Rojo, you are the flag waving ally for the intersex community. Also, can you correct the homepage where you call her "the intersex." Maybe more people would take you seriously if you didn't consistently treat this community poorly & are just after some clicks.

Be outraged all you want, rules are rules. I now expect you to be an outspoken advocate for every single athlete that gets DQ’d by this rule in the future. Or are you just virtue signaling here?

VA XC coach wrote:

Did nobody else see that Mekdes Abebe stepped inside the rail coming off of a barrier on the final lap of the steeple? Wouldn’t that fall in the same lines and be a DQ?

Yes, I saw that and assumed she wouldn't be DQed since during the US trials Purrier stepped inside of the rail and nothing was said or done. I figured it just wasn't an infraction. Rojo is right about Niyonsaba. She should not have been DQed for that

streak wrote:

Niyonsaba was only in the event at all due to absurd inconsistencies in the rules. To say she has an advantage over non-intersex women over 400-1500m but not in the 5k is ridiculous. The powers in charge were clearly just hoping she wouldn't qualify, because they were too cowardly to put a complete ban in place. Instead, they're trying to get her out of the games for any minor infraction they can think of or make up. I don't believe she should be allowed to compete without hormone adjustments, but that said I have tremendous sympathy for her and can't help but admire her determination.

Agree.

From the video I saw, it looks like Niyansaba grazed against the rail. She didn't even step on it. To DQ an athlete for that is ridiculous. Petty move by the officials to keep a controversial runner out of the final.

I agree with Rojo that this one is a disgrace.