USATF Strikes Again

This is beyond asinine. Let Chirlee run!

...a solution.

If the BEST runners on the entry list, male or female, have the guts to take a stand, then this can and will be fixed - IMMEDIATELY.

Unfortunately, most US athletes are the self-absorbed sort who want personal glory above all else and will NEVER take a stand to help someone else when it might mean a little difficulty for them. They have lost sight of what others went through to make things better for them, and they certainly have no interest in sticking their necks out for others.

They want the glory, but they're no longer interested in the guts part. They now believe that guts means doing more miles, running faster, or hanging on at the end of the race. They believe that guts is puking and finishing the race. No, that's just running.

Guts is Mexico City. Guts is Branch Rickey. Guts, as Malmo has pointed out, is asking coach to give Rudy your jersey. Guts is knowing that you won the gold, and then realizing that a country doesn't deserve to be proud of your medal unless that country is also proud of you - and deciding that being true champion means more than just winning a championship.

A press coference was held, and these athletes had the opportunity to speak out about this stupidity, and as we all knew they would, they took a pass. Instead they chose to talk about how excited they were to run XC again, etc.

Shalane Flanagan, who is a direct beneficiary of those women who stood up for themselves and their right to compete, could have taken a stand - could have refused to run unless this was rectified - and would've made a huge dent in this problem right then and there. She took a pass.

So here's the challenge guys - and girls. Give Mr. Chirlee your jersey, and your bib number. Better yet, give it to Jill Geer, Glenn Latimer, or Jim Estes and ask them to pass it along for you. Refuse to race until all US citizens who haven't run for other countries get to participate in the US Championships.

Exactly!

And really, this has got to be one of the easier situations for the elites to take a public stand. The cause is pretty popular, since the number of people opposed to allowing a US citizen to run is pretty small, especially since he also happens to be an active duty military guy as well. So I can't imagine an elite would be offending that many people, or their sponsor, by taking a stand.

Heck, imagine what the Nike advertising people could do with footage of Teg taking off his jersey and handing it to Chirlee at the starting line.

Yes, the elites might annoy USATF. But the only reason they have the status they do is because their predecessors were willing to take that risk in the name of what was fair.

SomeActualData wrote:

Heck, imagine what the Nike advertising people could do with footage of Teg taking off his jersey and handing it to Chirlee at the starting line.

Yes, the elites might annoy USATF. But the only reason they have the status they do is because their predecessors were willing to take that risk in the name of what was fair.

Exactly, the turning point that lead to the ability of guys like Tegankamp and Solinski to be able to openly make money from running was the 1981 Cascade Runoff, when a couple of dozen runners refused to blink in the face of threats from the old TAC.

Not only should they be standing with Chirlee in solidarity, they should be openly critical of the incompetent leadership of the USATF in general, and Opie and Fantasia specifically.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for those guys to take a stand for someone else. The Schumacher group is pretty much of a cult, if you ask me.

malmo wrote:

You gotta believe.

Yes!

SomeActualData wrote:

JT20k wrote:

Folks, make sure you have all your facts. The IAAF rules effect the USATF championships . A new IAAF rule that was created April 2010 dis-allows "new citizens.." He will be allowed next year, that's all. The USATF hands are tied from what I know.

Nope. The IAAF rule says nothing about who can or cannot compete at national championship meets. The USATF could (and should) let Chirlee run at the national championship meet. He just can't be on the team for worlds, as that is where the IAAF rule applies.

So the USATF's hands are not tied, at all, for who competes at their national championships.

__________________________________

I am speaking from experience. Joseph ran in my race on Labor Day 2010. He was not eligble for USATF championship prizes but was informed he will be eligible when he meets the length of citizenship, which I am not sure when that is.

Good luck Joseph. See you Labor Day in New Haven!