Monday, February 24, 2014

Should Gabe Grunewald have been disqualified in the 3000m?

10 comments:

Coach Tim said...

I wasn't watching this weekend, and haven't seen any of the video, but I want to commend LetsRun.com for their role in this. Open exposure, including naming names of the people involved, a balanced viewpoint (at least reaching out to Nike, AlSal, and USATF, before being declined)- this is what we should expect of our media.

Based on their account, the DQ seems like the result of bullying USATF. It's shameful and embarrassing for several parties, and the athletes and the sport pay the price.

Anonymous said...

Politics and lawlessness trickling down into track and field. Unbelievable.

If there were an infraction, and that’s a bit “if,” it should be on Hasay who went wide on the straight, and on coming back in, failed to allow adequate separation, thus cutting off Gruenewald.

The Jury of Appeals, if they allow the petitioner (Nike/Salazar) to address them, due process requires the respondent (Gruenewald) should be allowed the same. Salazar poking his head in the tent while the Jury of Appeals is making its decision, is tantamount to an intrusion in the jury deliberative process. The entire decision make by the Jury of Appeals is tainted and should be thrown out.

Once again, you have an activist high court that ignores the rule of law. And, just like we so frequently see nowadays in politics, the high contributor is receiving nothing more than their kickback.

If I were a prognosticator, I would prognosticate that the USOC will not overturn the DQ per se, but they will take a soft approach of allowing Gruenewald into the World’s, but of course, not “punish” Hasay, and taking a rule out of the speed skater’s handbook, allow them both to compete.

But only if I were a prognosticator

Albert Caruana said...

Great points so far.

I think what really rubs people the wrong way about this situation is the bullying by Alberto Salazer (perceived or not) for the benefit of his athletes. I would hope that the jury of appeals made their decision based on factual evidence and not because they were intimidated by Salazar and the Nike machine.

Anonymous said...

Who is this Alberto Salazar guy? Someone stop him before he wreaks even more havoc on the credibility of this sport.

GHPADD said...

My first question is what is the USATF Open Competition Rule on interference with another runner's ability to complete their race unimpeded? My second question is: was the rule violated?

Intent will only come into relevance if the USATF rule requires intent. Is the issue did someone catching a runner in front from behind interfere with the runner in the same race, or did the front runner move outside of their lane to interfere with a catching runner? I did not see Jordan leave her lane to interfere with a catching runner. Therefore, under USATF rules, Jordan would not be the cause. Without the exact reading of the violated rule, I do not know if intent must be shown for Gruenwald then how was intent shown? If no intent is required, only interference, then the video does not lie, Jordan was interfered with by Gruenwald and from behind.

Note, I am not making any determination as to any intent, or any effect of the interference, only was there interference in accordance with the USATF rules. Jordan did not interfere according to the USATF rules (Former USATF Referee and Umpire) but, without checking the actual rule...there was some form of interference.

The punishment is a DQ, and if DQ'd then there is no qualifying for the Worlds. Same as stepping on the inside lane line on the turn. The punishment is DQ and is not dependent on the impact f the rule violation.

I liked Grunewald's great effort, but effort does not trump complying with the rules.

Just my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

I suppose if it were as simple as there is a rule and if you break it, you are DQ'd, then the Head Referee after speaking to the official would have DQ'd her, right? But that didn't happen.

Then certainly the Official Tent, seeing a Rule violation, would have upheld the appeal and DQ'd her, but that didn't occur either.

So, yes, then the Jury of Appeals, would have DQ'd after they saw the rule violation, but they didn't.

So, is it really as simply as a rule violation?

On multiple reviews, it was determined there was no violation, and only on presentation of "new evidence," did the Jury of Appeals capitulate and reverse itself. Of course, due process has been denied Grunewald, because the Jury of Appeals refuses to disclose what it is.

However, Interference did take place. There was actual interference. In fact, there was continual and ongoing interference. Not only continual and ongoing interference, but intimidation. And all on the part of Salazar's obstreperous actions.

Schumacher summed it up:

“Alberto is protesting and he’ll get his way.”

"...absolute power corrupts absolutely." -John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton

Marty Beene said...

The DQ has been reversed: http://www.usatf.org/News/83.aspx

Anonymous said...

If she was running in High School JH would have been DQd. I remember when a Willow Glen runner almost ran into the back of A Bellarmine runner, no contact but the kid in front was DQd.

High Scool officials are a million times worse.

Marty Beene said...

To address your question: Should Gabe... have been DQd...?

I'm not a track official, but I have run a few races in 35+ years of competition. To me, the contact was very minor and - based on contact that is routinely permitted (expected, even) - was not even close to being worthy of a DQ. It appears that the officials at the meet initially agreed with this perspective. Three times.

Did Salazar actually think that that's why his runner (Hasay) didn't finish in the top 2? Sorry, but there's no way she was going to do that in that race. His efforts would be better spent teaching his runners how to run in traffic without tripping others or getting tripped. Or at least to maintain a consistent line so runners overtaking them know which side to pass them on. That said, contact sometimes happens and runners need to learn how to not freak out and just keep racing.

Anonymous said...

Marty, good post, and my thought as well with respect to Hasay. She was not going to kick and make Top 2. Watching Salazar's racers over the past 2 years, they are utilizing the same tactic of slow, slow start, steady build and try to finish fast. Wondering when other racers will break out of that mold and dictate THEIR race plan?

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