THE EDITOR, Madam:
HERE WE go again. It's the old 'If-me-did-know' syndrome back to haunt us Jamaicans. We all know that Merlene Ottey did not qualify for an automatic spot in the 100-metres. We cannot simply 'bump' any of the other three athletes (Peta Gaye Dowdie, Beverley McDonald, or Tanya Lawrence) who have already qualified.
The JAAA, (and everybody else, for that matter) before the National Trials, probably thought that Ottey, being the great athlete we know her to be, would have placed in the top three. They did not see the need to have granted Ottey a conditional place in 100-metres in Sydney leaving only two vacant spots for the women's 100-metres at the trials.
This should have been the sensible thing to do seeing that she was out of action for almost a year her suspension being lifted just days before the trials.
Her participation in the trials should have been optional, and she should have been given a period of time in which to run the qualifying time to make the team. If she failed, then the first three finishers in the event at the trials would run the 100-metres.
Ottey is currently the fastest Jamaican female over the distance by virtue of her 11.00 clocking on August 14 at a meet in Slovenia. It is worthy of mention that she ran under 11.00 seconds in her final race before her suspension. It was unfair to ask her to just pick up where she left off so soon after returning.
She deserves to be in the 100-metres! Okay.....So, what can be done now?
My suggestion is to grant Ottey a wild card draw to compete, given the special circumstances. Seeing that her positive test for nandrolone and subsequent suspension was all part of a big blunder, this is the least that the international bodies can do to redress the situation.
An IOC Executive Board's meeting will take place August 28-29 in Lausanne, Switzerland. I am calling on the JAAA who stood by her with such conviction during her fight with the IAAF to lobby in this regard.
Fans all over the world want to see Ottey go out in style...but not at the expense of Dowdie, McDonald, or Lawrence.
I am etc.,
NIGEL L. BLAKE
E-mail:
blakenigel@hotmail.com
Kingston
Via Go-Jamaica
