Osaka 2007 logo (© c)
Steve Ovett, the 1980 Olympic 800 metres champion and IAAF Ambassador, Pierre Weiss, IAAF General Secretary and Koji Sakurai LOC Chairman of the Competition Committee were the guests at the IAAF / LOC Daily Press Briefing which took place on Saturday (1 Sep) of the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka 2007, in Nagai Stadium.
WHO – Steve Ovett, the 1980 Olympic 800 metres champion and IAAF Ambassador, Pierre Weiss, IAAF General Secretary, and Koji Sakurai, LOC Chairman of the Competition Committee; Chris Turner, IAAF Editorial Manager (MC)
Following the formal introductions, Chris Turner began by confirming that all the doping test results so far received were clear. However, blood analysis takes a long time and on the basis of the experience of Helsinki 2005, the IAAF should have final results of all tests by the end of the coming week, and these would be announced.
Pierre Weiss said that there were 200 Federations in attendance in Osaka with 1908 athletes, 1220 officials and 320 Congress delegates. He then announced the results of the elections to the IAAF Athletes' Commission. Click here for Election results in pdf format
Steve Ovett was asked about the importance of the Athletes’ Commission and he said that athletes were our sport and we needed an inside view as to what changes were needed. The Commission allows athletes to consult and get feedback.
Asked about his role as an IAAF Ambassador and Ovett said it was important to give back to the sport. As a father he wants the sport to be stronger. It’s important to talk to the athletes and give advice. It was important to talk to the juniors.
Asked whether the young athletes at the Ostrava World Youth Championships, which he also attended as an Ambassador, may not have known who he was Ovett said that the coaches knew him, parents knew him. "Athletics is not just one generation. It is ongoing. It is important to keep the generation flow going. We are in competition with other sports and we can lose athletes to these other sports if we don’t promote the sport.”
Asked whether the sport is lacking the great rivalries like the one he had with Sebastian Coe he said that the sport does need personalities but that comes from long term involvement in the sport. There is a massive turnover of athletes. Athletes need talent and durability. “We have some today, such as Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell for example”. He said the sport needs more promoting, whilst it is difficult you can always sell a good product.
The panel was asked about there being no World records, and Turner said that the sport is not only about records but about head to head battles and close contests. Weiss added that it’s the competition, the real fight as to who is the winner, who is the best which makes it exciting. The sport needs three elements, a crowd, the athletes and results.
Ovett was asked about why he didn’t race against Coe more often during their careers and he replied that you cannot run against each other each week. You save your best effort for the big races such as Olympics and Championships. If you run against each other all the time it becomes boring for people so it’s important for the big occasion.
Koji Sakurai was asked about the problem in the 50Km Race Walk in Osaka that morning, where the Japanese athlete Yuki Yamazaki was sent into the stadium when he still had a lap to go. Sakurai said it was an error in instruction to the athlete. It was a regrettable error and he was sorry for the athlete and takes full responsibility as Competition Director.
Weiss said that errors happen from time to time. They are regrettable.
Ovett was asked about he and Coe being a media draw card in their prime and he said the media had a good time. Most stories were a fairy tale. He didn’t speak to the media for 12 years but he is now making up for lost time, he confirmed with a laugh and a smile.
Asked about crowd attendances Sakurai said a good crowd was expected for the last two nights.
LOC News Team
