What is wrong with USATF?

So this past weekend, I watched the US Indoor T&F championships.  I am a track junkie as many of you know and my husband can't believe that I actually DVR and watch the meets.  Not sure it is any different from watching Daytona or the Indy 500 which he does, but I digress.  As an athlete,  I am extremely angered by the disqualification this weekend of Gabrielle Grunewald.  I've run on the indoor track and been bumped and jossled, but it appeared as if no foul really occurred and according to what I have read the USATF agreed that no foul was committed.  Then suddenly due to the power of the other's competitor's coach and the almighty powers that be in Oregon, Gabe is disqualified and the athlete she supposedly interfered with was placed on the team.  Now no fault of that particular athlete as I doubt she wanted to really stir up controversy.  Especially when I believe that there is plenty of controversy surrounding her already.  After all, this very same athlete had a "race" created for her with male pacers to make the time for last year's worlds.

Other controversy surrounded the men's race as well, as that same coach got one athlete DQ'd for blocking the lane for his athlete as he was passed.  Come on.  There were way too many men on the small track (200 m) and none of them moved aside for the faster athletes as they ran the bell lap.  That didn't seem to stop Lagat from kicking it in and winning decisively.  I so want to believe that Lagat, at 39, is still a product of genetics, but it is easy to be wary after the last decade of drug cheats in the masters and almost masters ranks.  I'm sure if any of you reader are track junkies like me, you will certainly remember the likes of Regina Jacobs and Eddy Hellenbuyck.

Our sport should be straight forward.  You run the fastest you can on that given day and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.  Simple, easy.  What occurred on Saturday was and is a disgrace to our sport.  I used to respect said tantrum throwing coach, but not so much anymore.  As per usual, the almighty $$ wins.

And now for a retro photo from December, 1988.  Me (BAA uniform) running the 5000 m at the Harvard University Indoor Track.  I ran 18:22 that day which at the time, was a 5K Indoor PR.  I later ran 18:03 in January at the Dartmouth (NH) relays.  Ran one 5k under 18 on the roads - but that was in a 10K and the first mile was downhill (oops!).

I beat all those college kids by the way, and in 1988, I had been out of school for 5 yrs.

Edited on Monday afternoon at 5:40 PM EST:  I am happy to report that as of late this afternoon, the protest was withdrawn and Gabrielle Grunewald was re-instated as the 3K champion and will represent the US in Poland.  Jordan Hasay released a statement basically taking herself off the team as she didn't want to be a member of the team if it was not in a fair condition.  Classy for a 22 yr old who desperately wants a career as a professional runner.  Hats off to you Jordan Hasay and good luck to both Gabe and Shannon Rowbury in Poland.  You bet this track junkie will once again be watching.