More Chelimo Instagram Drama -- What exactly is Mason Ferlic calling out??

Obvious child wrote:

Kenya same time zone as Doha and a five hour direct flight from Nairobi.

That’s your answer Mason. As well, Kenya is A LOT cheaper than St Moritz

His next meet is in Zurich

1) I have proudly defended my country.

2) Just because my view is that the army should not be allowed to support an unlimited number of athletes, foreign born or not does not make me a racist. I clearly highlight that some of the athletes DO respect this country. These athletes embody what it is to chase the American dream.

Please in the future be open to debate someone's opinion rather than silence it by stooping to play the racist card

To further the discussion...

In a perfect world I would like to see the Army select a smaller group of athletes to support. This would ensure that selection process be more rigorous(not just time standard) and direct selections to those who seek long term investment in this country and who truly wish to be an American. Regardless of birth I think most people would strongly support this smaller group of individuals as we have previously supported Meb or Lagat as they truly chase the American dream.

I would like the group to provide developmental opportunities(Non WC standard quality) to already enlisted athletes who currently serve, hence my comment about 4-5 naturalized athletes. I don't care where they are from just that they already serve or just graduated a military academy. These athletes are good but maybe haven't had the opportunity/time to train with the likes of the WCAP squad. Currently WCAP requires you to have already hit WC standard driving the selection pool to NCAA D1 All-Americans. The incentive to join is citizenship to US so if you already have that many won't take the opportunity.

I also do not agree that the WCAP athletes should have little to no work commitment. I think they could provide strong benefit to the armed services while still retaining a world class level of competition. In long-winded conclusion, WCAP has problems that fly in the face of many values of the country it claims to serve.

I reread my post and noticed the following error:

hence my comment about 4-5 naturalized athletes

should read

hence my comment about 4-5 "american born" athletes

I don't think this is racist trash. I have no idea what Mason's education/work experience but I have a hard time believing a professional runner who is not a huge name could easily make $150k starting in whatever other career he would pursue. That seems like total crap.

I can see someone would see the WCAP as a means to continue a running career with a path to citizenship without serving in the same way many in our armed forces do and be uncomfortable with that. I don't know the details on everyone in that group. The only one I know personally Elkanah Kibet and I know he actually served for a few years while training very sub optimally before being accepted into the program. But I'm not sure if all the others went through the same process before being accepted into WCAP.

The other thing I don't think Chellimo has going for him is he kind of comes off as a jerk. Elkanah is super nice and humble and Paul public front does not convey that to me. I like a little bit of the swagger he has and we need more of that, but sometimes I think it crosses the swagger line in a negative way.

1) The Army has and will release athletes from WCAP back to regular service . WCAP policy states a soldier can be in for three years, it must return to duty for a full year. Over four athlete returned to regular duty this year:

2) Chelimo, and others, are no longer in the Army and work for Nike

3) Hillary Bor made the Olympics team while working full time in his Army job. Wcap has provided developmental opportunities for soldiers who did not have the works standard. But if they didn’t make it some amount of time, returned to their regular job. Wcap has a javelin thrower who has been given this opportunity.

4) Soldiers regularly exit wcap for school, training, deployment etc.

I'm actually inclined to agree with the other poster on the salary thing. Mason has PhD in Mechanical Engineering and from his interviews/social media seems like a super nice guy/easily marketable to engineering firms. I believe going rate for ME with that level of education from a solid university is $95-125k depending on location. Maybe throw in a small part-time running deal for him to keep training afterwards....not a bad position to be in.

it seems

TheSystem wrote:

1) I have proudly defended my country.

2) Just because my view is that the army should not be allowed to support an unlimited number of athletes, foreign born or not does not make me a racist. I clearly highlight that some of the athletes DO respect this country. These athletes embody what it is to chase the American dream.

Please in the future be open to debate someone's opinion rather than silence it by stooping to play the racist card

You’re not racist, you’re just prejudice. You point out that some athletes “respect” this country, but you said in the other post, some are just in it for the money.

Okay, well how do you know that? Have you talked to any of them? Which ones are in it for the money? That’s a baseless accusation. You assumed that.

Any bowerman track club athlete could be running professionally just for the money and not give 2 cents about respesenting their country. Why aren’t you pointing out them? Oh, cause you have NO PROOF whether they are or not.

Your views don't matter.

Tea Leaves wrote:

Keep in mind Ferlic observed these guys and their team dynamic at World XC, as the other six guys were former Kenyans under Simmons. Perhaps it was some mounting frustration and/or curiosity, as in noticing that these guys regularly go back to Kenya for long training camps, when they’re “based” in Colorado. Seems like a genuine reason to view regular training camps (and the associated logistical challenges/burden compared to Colorado) in Kenya as odd. This isn’t a one-off-because-it’s-in-Doha thing.

Also, remember when Scott Simmons told the LRC Podcast that it was crazy to think that these guys would dope because the USOC is in their backyard in Colorado Springs?

It is odd, given the attractiveness of the USA for training and living that enticed many athletes to want to come to the USA, that some athletes decide it to be in their strategic training best interest to go to known doping safe havens for training blocks.

Their are several good weather high altitude training areas to choose from in the world that one doesn’t become guilty by association/presence.

The persons comments are not racist.

I don’t want my tax dollars being spent in this way either. That is my very strong opinion.

Even if your claim of prejudice is correct this is not an uncommon view and one that WCAP and its athlete's should seek to overturn. Quite frankly going to train in a suspicious location, where the rest of US World Champs athletes are not training, without defusing the situation probably won't dispel any viewpoints that hold prejudice towards WCAP.

I know there are athletes from Bowerman who could care less about representing the country or opportunities available to them. Its a shame they don't respect those chances and I would not want THEM being sponsored by a tax funded group like WCAP.

OrderOfTheEngineer wrote:

Mason has PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Source? Everything I have seen says he has a Masters:

Given EPOs rampant availability and use among Kenyans top distance runners, obviously Ferlic is insinuating that Chelimo is either doping, or is making a poor choice by training in a place heavily associated with doping.

Additionally, undertones of you left Kenya to live in America and took team spots from citizens who stay in America. You already have a high altitude home, an elite group, US Olympic training center access, and perfect weather in Colorado Springs.

Like Albuquerque? Flagstaff, even?

OrderOfTheEngineer wrote:

I'm actually inclined to agree with the other poster on the salary thing. Mason has PhD in Mechanical Engineering and from his interviews/social media seems like a super nice guy/easily marketable to engineering firms. I believe going rate for ME with that level of education from a solid university is $95-125k depending on location. Maybe throw in a small part-time running deal for him to keep training afterwards....not a bad position to be in.

Nah bro, he only has his Masters and it's in aeronautical engineering.

For the millionth time, WCAP is funded by non-appropriated money, NOT your tax dollars.

TheSystem wrote:

I know there are athletes from Bowerman who could care less about representing the country or opportunities available to them. Its a shame they don't respect those chances and I would not want THEM being sponsored by a tax funded group like WCAP.

Which Bowerman athletes are you talking about? And how do you know they "could care less" or that they don't "respect" the chances their country has given them? Or do you just mean they aren't doing what you want them to do?