USATF Explanation for Alice Schmidt Being in 1500m Final

Great post . Completely agree with pogo.

rentawreck wrote:

Do you mean like when Anderson qualified for the final and expected to be in the final but then was told that she wasn't in the final? Or are we talking about a different situation? You can't have it both ways -- if you are so myopic that you think that once someone is told he/she is in the final, you have crossed the Rubicon and never can go back, then Anderson never could have been taken out of the final to begin with (she got the magical words of "you are in the final").

Not the same thing at all. Anderson unofficially assumed she was in the final. A protest was filed against her. She was DQ'ed and not included in the official results.

I think the answer lies somewhere in between USATF followed what they perceived their process to be (add in a runner the instant Anderson was DQ'ed and set the official field) and err'ing on the side of letting more runners into the final, which is a good thing. Maybe Anderson did deserve a DQ, maybe she didn't. If there was any debate on Anderson's DQ within the jury of appeals it is logical to err on the side of the runner and let Anderson run but also let the person that this decision directly effects, Alice Schmidt, run too.

Avocado's Number wrote:

rentawreck wrote:

Having her wrongly in the race greatly impacts how the other 4 As will run.

Uceny, Simpson, Rowbury, and ???

Pierce.

Actually, you're wrong. 21 athletes made up the 200 semis. Look at the start lists.

Bureaucratic myopia at its best. Because the wheels of USATF bureaucracy got involved because of Mortimer's protest, the organization involved, then uninvolved itself but still advanced Schmidt despite no foul being ruled. Yet, if the bureaucracy had NOT got involved, if Mortimer had NOT filed a protest, then Schmidt would NOT be in the final. Basically, Schmidt is in the final because a stodgy organization got involved, NOT because of anything that happened on the track.

Les wrote:

Bureaucratic myopia at its best. Because the wheels of USATF bureaucracy got involved because of Mortimer's protest, the organization involved, then uninvolved itself but still advanced Schmidt despite no foul being ruled. Yet, if the bureaucracy had NOT got involved, if Mortimer had NOT filed a protest, then Schmidt would NOT be in the final. Basically, Schmidt is in the final because a stodgy organization got involved, NOT because of anything that happened on the track.

Ok. We have the final conclusion.

It's Mortimer's fault. A good candidate. No longer involved. Likely not a threat to make the team and doesn't have a fan base behind her or against her.

Awesome!

I'm curious if Amy Mortimer has made any comments since this whole thing blew up?? I'm surprised that we haven't heard a thing from her or anyone in her camp.

I was wondering that myself. If she was impeded, she should move forward not Schmidt. However, she finished 7th and is sponsored by Saucony.

Again and again.

Vote for the weak like Sue Humphrey in November and you'll have four more years of bad track and field "leadership".

If only the chair elections were a let's run poll.

I just did an interview with track and field rules expert Bob Podkaminer about the Schmidt decision.

I'm sure you'll find it interesting as basically he said logic doesn't have to be part of the Jury of Appeals decision - they can do whatever they want.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4662907

Translation: Schmidt runs for Nike so we will put her in the final and all notions of fairness and following our rules be damned.

wejo wrote:

I talked to Jill Geer the USATF Communications Director to try and understand why Alice Schmidt was in the 1500m final.

Quick summary, Alice Schmidt finished 6th ,one spot away from the necessary 5th place to make the final. Then after the race Gabriel Anderson, the second place finisher, was disqualified and that moved Schmidt up to 5th into the final.

Then, Anderson appealed the DQ, the DQ was overturned and that meant Anderson was now 2nd and in the final. That left Schmidt in 6th place, one spot from the final.

However, USATF said it will now put 13 people in the final including Schmidt.

Just let me decide who goes and who doesn't.