Robert Korzeniowski of Poland wins the 50km walk (© Getty Images)
Council agreed that although the two World Bests set in the Men’s 20km and 50km during these World Championships cannot yet be recognised as official IAAF World Records, the two athletes responsible for the marks, Jefferson Perez (ECU) and Robert Korzeniowski (POL) would receive awards of $100,000 each as a gesture of Fair Play. The presentations will be made in the Stade de France before the end of the Championships.
JON DRUMMOND AFFAIR
Council officially endorsed the decision of the Competition Director to disqualify Jon Drummond from taking further part in this competition, for behaviour likely to bring the sport into disrepute, following his refusal to accept a disqualification for a false start in the quarter finals of the 100m. Council now expects to receive a report after a full investigation into the behaviour of Drummond, and USATF Admin Officer Michael Cain who is alleged to have advised the athlete not to accept his disqualification, before the next Council Meeting on 22-23 November in Berlin.
Council also agreed that a clearly defined procedure needed to be established to avoid repetition of such incidents in future. Among the specific procedures that are being considered are to:
Remove the blocks immediately from the lane of a disqualified athlete;
Remove the disqualified athlete’s name from the onscreen start list (or add a “dq”)
Ensure that the announcers and in-stadium presenters are proactive in explaining the rules both before the event starts and when athletes are disqualified;
Ensure that the in-stadium screens – which are controlled by the Competition Organisers – do not show footage that is misleading or can incite the crowd;
Ask starters to use their discretion to avoid disqualifying more than one athlete at the same time, but aim to disqualify only the instigator of each false start.
Ask starters to warn “flinchers” who seek to provoke their rivals into making false starts, and to disqualify them if they do so repeatedly.
IAAF – USATF
Council discussed publication of an article in the LA Times revealing the identity of a US athlete who allegedly competed at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 after being cleared of a doping offence.
As is widely known, the IAAF sought disclosure from its US Member, USATF, of the names of a number of unidentified athletes, including the athlete from the Sydney Olympic Games, together with all related documents, as part of an arbitration procedure that was conducted before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne in November 2002.
In that case, the CAS Panel found that, although IAAF Rules required the disclosure of such information, there were valid reasons in the circumstances why disclosure should not now be made.
The IAAF was never informed of the name of the Sydney athlete as the arbitration was concerned with the principle of disclosure not with establishing the individual identity of any athlete.
The IAAF and USATF agreed prior to the arbitration that the CAS decision would be final and binding on both parties. Accordingly, respecting the CAS decision, and in the absence of voluntary disclosure of the information or an admission by the athlete in question, the IAAF is not in a position to take any further action in the matter at this time.
IAAF Competition Calendar 2004
Council also approved the following Competition Calendar:
IAAF WORLD ATHLETICS SERIES 2004
MARCH
Fri 5 – Sun 7 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships Budapest, HUN
Sat 20 & Sun 21 32nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships Brussels, BEL
MAY
Sat 1 – Sun 2 21st IAAF World Race Walking Cup Naumburg, GER
JULY
Tue 13 – Sun 18 3rd IAAF World Junior Championships Grosseto, ITA
AUGUST
Fri 13 – Sun 29 Olympic Games Athens, GRE
(Athletics from 20 to 29)
SEPTEMBER
Sat 18 & Sun 19 IAAF World Athletics Final Monaco, MON
OCTOBER
Sun 3 13th IAAF Half Marathon Championships New Delhi, IND
IAAF INDOOR PERMIT MEETINGS 2004
JAN
Sat 31 MOSCOW RUS
FEB
Sun 1 STUTTGART GER
Wed 4 DORTMUND GER
Fri 6 NEW YORK USA
Fri 6 KARLSRUHE GER
Sun 8 LIEVIN FRA
Thu 12 STOCKHOLM SWE
Sat 14 Euro Ind Cp,Leipzig, GER
Sun 15 GENT BEL tbc
Fri 20 BIRMINGHAM GBR
Sat 21 Open Chp. Budapest HUN
Sun 22 ATHENS GRE
MAR
Fri 5 to Sun 7 World Indoor Championships – Budapest, HUN
IAAF CROSS COUNTRY PERMIT MEETINGS 2003/2004
NOV 03
Sun 16 OEIRAS POR
Sun 30 LLODIO ESP
DEC 03
Sun 14 European Championships, Edinburgh, GBR
Sun 21 BRUSSELS BEL
JAN 04
Sat 3 NEWCASTLE GBR
Sat 10 BELFAST GBR
Sun 18 SEVILLA ESP
FEB 04
Sun 1 TOURCOING FRA
Sun 8 LOULE POR
Sat 14 NAIROBI KEN
Sun 15 DIEKIRCH (tbc) LUX
Sun 15 CHIBA JPN
MAR 04
Sun 7 SAN VITTORE ITA
Sat 20 & Sun 21 IAAF World Championships, Brussels BEL
IAAF WORLD COMBINED EVENTS CHALLENGE 2004
2004 scoring opportunities
Individual Meetings:
Desenzano (ITA) – 9 & 10 May 2004 – IAAF Permit.
Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis (AUT) – 29/30 May 2004 – IAAF Permit.
Arles (FRA) – 5/6 June 2004 – IAAF Permit.
Open German Championships in Ratingen (GER) – 26&27 June 2004 – IAAF Permit.
Decastar in Talence (FRA) – 18/19 September 2004 - IAAF Permit.
Other International Competitions
Competition Date of Athletics Venue
Olympic Games 20-29 August Athens, GRE
African Championships 16 - 20 June
US Trials 9-18 July Sacramento, USA
European Cup Combined Events 3-4 July Several
Ranking will be based on the addition of the best totals achieved by one athlete in any three of the above competitions.
For the “Other International Competitions” listed above, the following conditions must be respected for scoring:
A fully automatic timing system must be in operation;
At least 6 doping controls, 3 for men and 3 for women shall be carried out.
The following Prize Money is available:
1st place: $30,000 5th place: $8,000
2nd place: $20,000 6th place: $7,000
3rd place: $15,000 7th place: $6,000
4th place: $10,000 8th place: $5,000
IAAF RACE WALKING CHALLENGE 2004
2004 scoring opportunities:
Tijuana, MEX 20-21 April 20 W + 20 M + 50 M
Rio Major, POR 3 April 20 W + 20 M
Sesto San Giovanni, ITA (?) 20 W + 20 M
Shanghai, CHN (tbc) 20 W + 20 M
Coruna, ESP 5 June 2004 20 W + 20 M
IAAF Race Walking Cup 1&2 May – Naumburg 20 W + 20 M + 50 M
Olympic Games, Athens August 20 W + 20 M + 50 M
The events may take place on road or track, but must be over standard distances:
Men: Road: 20 Km or 50 Km. Track: 20,000 m or 50,000 m
Women: Road: 10 Km or 20 Km
Points will be given according to the places: 10 for the winner – 9 for 2nd place – 8 for 3rd place etc.
Ranking will be based on the addition of the 3 best results achieved by one athlete in any of the above competitions.
The following Prize Money will be available:
1st place: $30,000 5th place: $8,000
2nd place: $20,000 6th place: $7,000
3rd place: $15,000 7th place: $6,000
4th place: $10,000 8th place $5,000
ATHLETES’ COMMISSION
For the first time ever, a poll is being held to elect 12 athletes to the IAAF Athletes’ Commission (7 other athletes, including a Chairperson, will be appointed by Council).
The Polling booths were opened on 25 August and elections continue on the 29th and 30th.
Council noted with satisfaction that 722 athletes have already voted on the first day of polling, which is close to 50% of the capacity of the Athletes’ Village. Results will be announced before the end of the Championships.
Council also agreed to reconfirm Prof Arne Ljungqvist (SWE) as IAAF Senior Vice-President and to make Igor Ter-Ovanesian (RUS) an Honorary Life Member of the IAAF.
