Twitter Fight with Racial Overtones Breaks Out Between USATF Athletes Advisory Committee (AAC) Chair Dwight Phillips and Lauren Fleshman and Nick Symmonds
by LetsRun.com
April 6, 2016
Over the last few days, a public Twitter exchange with racial overtones has broken out between USATF Athletes Advisory Committee (AAC) chair Dwight Phillips and athletes Lauren Fleshman and Nick Symmonds. The exchange began with Fleshman tweeting at the USATF Athletes Advisory Committee Twitter account about not receiving any emails from the AAC this year and Phillips responding by implying that Fleshman was being racist (Phillips is black, Fleshman and Symmonds are white).
Things escalated from there with Phillips eventually including Symmonds in the conversation and accusing Oiselle (Fleshman’s sponsor) and Brooks (Symmonds’ sponsor) of being racist with regard to the athletes they sponsor.
Then yesterday, a completely separate Twitter argument began between Phillips and marathoner Patrick Rizzo on issues surrounding the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. We have embedded the tweets from both those conversations below in (mostly) chronological order. Fleshman, Symmonds and, recently, Rizzo have been very vocal in their complaints about USATF.
Quick Thought #1: When the head of the AAC is having a public Twitter battle with the athletes who are under his care, implying they are racist, it’s not a good day for the sport and is a controversy the sport does not need.
On the first page of the AAC section on the USATF website it states that the AAC’s mission is to “communicate the interests and protect the rights and privileges of athletes” and that it will achieve this by “treat[ing] our athletes with respect and appreciation.”
We’re a long way from achieving the AAC mission, as in 2016 there isn’t anything much more disrespectful that you can do to someone than to publicly imply they are racist.
Quick Thought #2: In case you didn’t already know it, Twitter is not the place for people to have constructive dialogue.
The tweets appear below. Discuss the controversy on our fan forum / messageboard: MB: Dwight Phillips vs. Lauren Fleshman and Nick Symmonds on Twitter *Dwight Phillips to Lauren Fleshman “Just face it your tweets are racially charged” Screen Shots Attached
Pro track and field athletes, have any of you received any emails from the AAC in 2016? @usatf_AAC
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/716279991940562946
@Dwightdagreat @usatf_AAC excuse me Dwight, but that has literally nothing to do with my comment. That's completely inappropriate.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/716283109478629376
@Dwightdagreat @usatf_AAC there were big issues not yet finished at @Usatf annual meeting, like statement of conditions, logo resolution 1/2
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
@Dwightdagreat @usatf_AAC @usatf I was trying to determine if any communication was happening or if I wasn't on the email lists.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
@Dwightdagreat @usatf_AAC what exactly is the culture of communication you envision providing as AAC president?
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/716284548020092928
@Dwightdagreat @usatf_AAC if you can't communicate with membership, perhaps you should reconsider the time commitment of president of AAC.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/716285042792800257
@Dwightdagreat @usatf_AAC you have time to tweet, you have time to email AAC membership.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
Fleshman tweeted something here, but it was deleted.
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/716286570857422848
Unless Symmonds was part of Fleshman’s deleted tweet, this is the first he’s been mentioned in the conversation.
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/716288210876383232
@Dwightdagreat @NickSymmonds My logo proposal work is for all track and field athletes. You highly offend me with your comments.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
@Dwightdagreat @NickSymmonds I'm done here. I expect an apology.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/716290285093928960
Editor’s note: Adam Nelson doesn’t appear to be on the AAC, though he is the president of the Track and Field Athletes Association (which is not affiliated with USATF).
@Dwightdagreat @NickSymmonds let's talk on the phone sometime.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 2, 2016
It's hard to make any progress, with people constantly bickering and complaining. Craig Masback nor Doug Logan had to deal with this.. #sad
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 2, 2016
Editor’s note: Here’s some threads ripping Logan, here’s some ripping Masback.
@Dwightdagreat @laurenfleshman I want an apology as well Dwight. We are fighting for ALL athletes.
— Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) April 2, 2016
Unfortunately we aren't @NickSymmonds you move at your own tune buddy! https://t.co/ONcDhjUL3j
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 2, 2016
@Dwightdagreat @laurenfleshman damn right I do. Can't count on the AAC to get anything done.
— Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) April 2, 2016
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 2, 2016
At this point, UK’s 2004 Olympic heptathlon bronze medalist Kelly Sotherton interjected.
Fight the cause not each other! https://t.co/iXhLCiLI2F
— Kelly (@KellySotherton) April 2, 2016
I wish it was that simple @KellySotherton I really do! https://t.co/zuHF4Lg6tk
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 2, 2016
As far as we could see on Twitter, the conversation ended there before 1:00 p.m. on April 2nd. But then at 11:54 a.m. on the 3rd, Phillips was tweeting at Symmonds and Fleshman again.
@NickSymmonds lets convince @brooksrunning to be more diverse. I think that's a worthy cause. I'm sure you can galvanize them to do so.
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
@Dwightdagreat @brooksrunning a worthy cause indeed! Diversity is a wonderful thing.
— Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) April 3, 2016
We have to address a serious concern! @NickSymmonds zero diversity @brooksrunning! What about that? You're polarizing get them to change!
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
Maybe @oiselle can stand to fill more uniform space with diversity as well @laurenfleshman, let's address those issues as well.
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
@Dwightdagreat @oiselle you have my number and an invitation to talk on the phone from yesterday.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 3, 2016
That was Fleshman’s last tweet in this exchange, but the conversation between Phillips and Symmonds continued.
@Dwightdagreat @brooksrunning you have visited the Brooks running headquarters? Met every single employee?
— Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) April 3, 2016
I haven't, but I have seen talented athletes of all ethnic backgrounds maybe you can help brooks identify them https://t.co/8ubvGQ3rxe
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
Just look at the optics! https://t.co/8ubvGQ3rxe
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
@NickSymmonds hopefully it will change in between now and 2030 in terms of diversity @brooksrunning
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
@Dwightdagreat @brooksrunning I don't work at Brooks. Happy to connect you with the head of sports marketing if you have something to say.
— Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) April 3, 2016
You are passionate about fighting for all athletes @NickSymmonds but Your passion is palpable as long as the issue affects YOU and your ?!
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
At this point Symmonds also tried to end the public Twitter conversation, but Phillips egged him on and called him out for his use of social media.
@Dwightdagreat Dwight you have my phone number and my email, if you would like to chat feel free to call or write. Twitter not the place.
— Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) April 3, 2016
Social media isn't the place now? I'm using your preferred method of communication scroll down your time line Pal. https://t.co/KtgxtRX9fV
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 3, 2016
@Dwightdagreat Dwight you have my phone number and my email, if you would like to chat feel free to call or write. Twitter not the place.
— Nick Symmonds (@NickSymmonds) April 3, 2016
That was the last of the Twitter exchange on April 3rd. Then yesterday, April 5th, 2:13 marathoner Patrick Rizzo sent a public message to Phillips and another heated argument followed, this time between Rizzo and Phillips with Fleshman eventually joining in.
For those not familiar with the topic of discussion, after the Olympic Marathon Trials in February, Rizzo wrote a blog post about what he felt the organizational shortcomings were in LA. It would seem that that blog post eventually turned into a conversation between Rizzo and Phillips/USATF.
@Dwightdagreat Any word on the statement from @Max_Siegel & @usatf about the conditions at #LA2016 that you told me was coming 6 weeks ago?
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
Great question Patrick. As I told you on the phone, that issue is being addressed. https://t.co/34Z27FQk15
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
Should I address his remarks via email or Twitter? https://t.co/34Z27FQk15
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
@Dwightdagreat Any means. I still have about 300 of the 400 participants pissed off and me acting on their behalf. Answers calm the masses.
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
The LOC unequivocally didn't uphold their end of the bargain. The AAC was not involved in the process. https://t.co/lW9DbwB0uQ
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
Moving forward we hope to be involved in the process like Track Town USA. They keep us in the loop. https://t.co/lW9DbwB0uQ
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
@Dwightdagreat So we're back to passing the buck to the LOC? I thought Max agreed @USATF was the overseer and failed. It's USATF's event!
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
Did USATF organized the marathon? I never received emails from 300 people maybe 12 and I fought for every person. https://t.co/L6Zag4LEpt
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
@Dwightdagreat If you only got 12, you failed to check your email. I was CCed or BCCed on more than that TO YOU.
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
@Dwightdagreat The race bears their name and they oversee the rules, correct? If not, we have WAY more freedom in future trials. THANKS!
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
If we want to blame USATF I'm fine with that. Let's solve the problem so it want happen again. https://t.co/L6Zag4LEpt
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
@Dwightdagreat I've written articles with suggestions. They get ignored. I've attended meetings. What next? Overthrow of @USATF…AGAIN?
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
I'm on your side but if you want to attack me that's fine too. It's my fiduciary duty to voice concerns. https://t.co/1eRcnm1Eg6
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
@Dwightdagreat Not trying to attack. You haven't responded to messages via phone/text. I want us to work as a unified voice for the sport.
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
Really, last message you sent me I responded but ok. https://t.co/bzxKzX9xYq
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/717430452827656193
@Dwightdagreat I messaged you about the "anonymous" survey @USATF sent. No reply. I said I wanted more info on your company. No reply.
— Patrick Rizzo (@RunPRizzo) April 5, 2016
Patrick I sent you all the pertinent info including website info. Was that info decimated to your event group? https://t.co/Po54prE2YJ
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
That was the end of the Rizzo-Phillips back-and-forth, but there was also another side conversation between Fleshman and Phillips.
@Dwightdagreat @RunPRizzo @Max_Siegel @usatf is this seriously how you plan to keep treating athletes Dwight? You're off your chair lately.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/Dwightdagreat/status/717427129802231808
@Dwightdagreat @RunPRizzo @Max_Siegel @usatf Its ok to ask questions Dwight. Good leadership requires accountability and listening.
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 5, 2016
You were copied on the email we both know the truth. You may not have gotten the answer you wanted but you got one. https://t.co/RASrzPRHcn
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
Agreed! https://t.co/RASrzPRHcn
— Dwight Phillips (@Dwightdagreat) April 5, 2016
Discuss the controversy on our fan forum / messageboard: MB: Dwight Phillips vs. Lauren Fleshman and Nick Symmonds on Twitter *Dwight Phillips to Lauren Fleshman “Just face it your tweets are racially charged” Screen Shots Attached
Pro track and field athletes, have any of you received any emails from the AAC in 2016? @usatf_AAC
— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) April 1, 2016