Why does Alexi Pappas get so much flack for running for Greece but not Justine Fedronic who did the same thing for France?
Why does Alexi Pappas get so much flack for running for Greece but not Justine Fedronic who did the same thing for France?
Justine Fedronic actually grew up in France. Alexi Pappas has possibly never even been to Greece or spoken a word of Greek until 5 minutes ago.
I started the thread about Alexi earlier. As I stated in that thread there is no reason she should be crucified and I support her running for Greece. Only comment I have is she shouldn't be allowed to run for USA only money or at Championships. That comment would go towards any US citizen that decides to compete for foreign countries. Say bye bye to the USA only money that makes our country special.
No she didn't. She has lived in Belmont, CA almost all her life.
Because the pasty teenage boys on LRC hate seeing a woman be successful.
Who?
......fdsfsd wrote:
No she didn't. She has lived in Belmont, CA almost all her life.
She has been a French citizen her whole life. She immigrated to the US from France. She speaks French fluently.
Alexi Pappas became a Greek citizen approximately 5 minutes ago for the sole purpose of running for them in the Olympics. There is a huge difference.
This is why. wrote:
......fdsfsd wrote:No she didn't. She has lived in Belmont, CA almost all her life.
She has been a French citizen her whole life. She immigrated to the US from France. She speaks French fluently.
Alexi Pappas became a Greek citizen approximately 5 minutes ago for the sole purpose of running for them in the Olympics. There is a huge difference.
There are more Greeks living outside of Greece than in Greece.
The Olympics are just a big track meet, anymore, no reason she should take the opportunity she was offered.
We're looking at Kenyans that became citizens here partially because it is so hard to make the team in Kenya; it improves their odds of being in the Olympics. And we embrace them. The Greek system has embraced her, and it reconnects her with her heritage.
It's all good, children, she'll have some great stories to share. Another local runner gets to run -- now that she's made the O standard, and she's still improving.
Enjoy the sport.
Don't have an opinion on Pappas's decision, but it's clearly a different situation when those Kenyans come and run for the US since they all live and train in the US.
Switchin Nationalities wrote:
I started the thread about Alexi earlier. As I stated in that thread there is no reason she should be crucified and I support her running for Greece. Only comment I have is she shouldn't be allowed to run for USA only money or at Championships. That comment would go towards any US citizen that decides to compete for foreign countries. Say bye bye to the USA only money that makes our country special.
What's your 10K PR?
She was born in Germany...
As someone who criticized Pappas for pretending that she was doing something noble by running for Greece when she was actually just ducking tougher competition in the U.S. Trials, I'd like to praise her for meeting the Olympic standard.
aaa Duck wrote:
It's all good, children, she'll have some great stories to share. Another local runner gets to run -- now that she's made the O standard, and she's still improving.
Enjoy the sport.
Yes, it's all good. All us US citizens will have one more athlete familiar to us that we can cheer for.
To all the negative Nellies, I say:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6cxNR9ML8kTo all others, get your tickets to Tracktown the movie.
bigtool05 wrote:
aaa Duck wrote:There are more Greeks living outside of Greece than in Greece.
The Olympics are just a big track meet, anymore, no reason she should take the opportunity she was offered.
We're looking at Kenyans that became citizens here partially because it is so hard to make the team in Kenya; it improves their odds of being in the Olympics. And we embrace them. The Greek system has embraced her, and it reconnects her with her heritage.
It's all good, children, she'll have some great stories to share. Another local runner gets to run -- now that she's made the O standard, and she's still improving.
Enjoy the sport.
Don't have an opinion on Pappas's decision, but it's clearly a different situation when those Kenyans come and run for the US since they all live and train in the US.
Exactly. Anyone who thinks it's the same thing is just being obtuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dakxwoVV7yMThis is why. wrote:
Anyone who thinks it's the same thing is just being obtuse.
An actual likely answer is that Pappas has an oversized social media presence. Judging by tweets and retweets, one would get the impression that Pappas and Fleshman are two of the most popular US runners (and by implication two of the most accomplished). Basically Pappas is as popular as Linden, Rowbury, and Simpson, and she tweets three times as much. That is offensive to people who would hope that track is a meritocracy. If Pappas were as popular as Fedronic, no one would mention her and she would be an afterthought.
Twitter followers and tweets:
Pappas 19.2K, 6629
Fedronic 1273, 1354
Fleshman and four of the most accomplished US women:
Fleshman 44.6K, 15.1K
Linden 22K, 1353
Flanagan 86.8K, 2038
Rowbury 15.6K, 3019
Simpson 23.8K, 3695
I don't agree with what she's doing, but whatever.
I would feel better if:
1) No Greek woman is losing a place on the team to her (which I think is the case)
2) There's a "cooling off" period where she can't compete in any sort of US championship -- a year would be fair, I think.
This is why. wrote:
......fdsfsd wrote:No she didn't. She has lived in Belmont, CA almost all her life.
She has been a French citizen her whole life. She immigrated to the US from France. She speaks French fluently.
Alexi Pappas became a Greek citizen approximately 5 minutes ago for the sole purpose of running for them in the Olympics. There is a huge difference.
"born in Heidelberg, Germany, and lived in France until moving to the U.S. at age 6"
So obviously she has a much stronger claim to being French and Pappas does to being Greek but still a little bit of a stretch
Phil Fondacaro wrote:
An actual likely answer is that Pappas has an oversized social media presence. Judging by tweets and retweets, one would get the impression that Pappas and Fleshman are two of the most popular US runners (and by implication two of the most accomplished). Basically Pappas is as popular as Linden, Rowbury, and Simpson, and she tweets three times as much. That is offensive to people who would hope that track is a meritocracy. If Pappas were as popular as Fedronic, no one would mention her and she would be an afterthought.
Twitter followers and tweets:
Pappas 19.2K, 6629
Fedronic 1273, 1354
Fleshman and four of the most accomplished US women:
Fleshman 44.6K, 15.1K
Linden 22K, 1353
Flanagan 86.8K, 2038
Rowbury 15.6K, 3019
Simpson 23.8K, 3695
So you are saying that the US and Greek federations are in cahoots because she is semi well known and semi popular on social media?
As long as she is within the rules then what of it?
For this to make any sense the Greek Olympic committee must see their olympic team as comprising ethnic Greeks, not necessarily Greek nationals?
Should we care? Does it matter if some Olympic teams are primarily a single ethnicity while others are based around nationality?