Officials among obstacles for world-class M45 hurdler
Georgia hurdler Dexter McCloud, a world champion at 2006 Linz indoors, is the latest athlete to register complaints about the Clermont-Ferrand debacle. Dexter writes: “I’m responding to your blog about the nonsense that went on at the Indoor Worlds in France. If you see the results for the M45 hurdles, you’ll see that I was disqualified. I have tried to remain calm about this, but this clear ‘hate’ for the U.S. has already kept me awake for two nights since the final.”
Dexter continues:
Let me give you some background first. In March of 2007, I tore an adductor at a track meet and had to sit out a year while rehabbing after surgery. So, this was literally, my first meet of the year. I did not even start practicing over hurdles until two weeks before the meet!
So, while I would have counted it as a moral victory if I simply COMPLETED a race, you can understand my jubilation when I actually won the 60 meter hurdles.
Afterwards, two hurdlers, Alfred Philip and Serge Beckers (I think) filed a protest stating that I left the call room early and gained a competitive advantage because they had to stay in the cold.
The truth is, I left the call room to put on my speedsuit AFTER I CHECKED IN. By the time I put my uniform, my heat had been escorted to the track. I went to the starter on the track and confirmed my lane assignment. AT NO TIME, did any of the officials tell me that I had done anything wrong. In point of fact, it was so cold in the call room that very few competitors remained after checking in.
In addition, my blocks were slipping and I asked the starter if I could get someone to hold my blocks. I spotted Rex Harvey (a WMA VP, no less) standing nearby and he spoke with the starting official who then said it was okay. I was supposedly DQ’ed for both of these infractions.
The long and the short of this is that no OFFICIAL ever said that I did anything wrong until a couple of sore losers filed a protest. I don’t think it was a coincidence that they spoke French.
I told Alfred Philip that “he’s dead to me.” Since I’ve been running masters track, I’ve been helping this guy with workouts, diets, etc. In fact, we even gave him a ride to the track on the day of the final!. This used to be about fun and friendly competition, but I am making a personal promise that I will do everything in my power to personally demolish every foreign hurdler I compete against.
An additional post-mortem: While the “hearing” was in process, we went back to our apartment since it was only about 15 minutes away. Well, my DQ was already posted on the internet WHILE THE HEARING WAS ONGOING.
Ironically, I went to the medal ceremony and they gave me my gold medal. So, I guess all’s well that end’s well, i guess. However, it’s left me with a bitter taste in my mouth because the results show me as a DQ.
Just in case the results get updated to reflect Dexter’s win, here’s how the results appear on the official Web site as of today (March 24, 2008):
21 Responses
KEEP YOUR HEAD UP[SIEZE THE DAY].PEACE BRO
This was one of the more controversial events in Clermont Ferrand, IMO. I was standing by hurdle 3 with my camera, so I had a good view of the race and the incident involving the start. Dexter ran superbly well – absolutely no doubt on that. It was great to see, but without wanting to get involved in any way at all with the personal comments made on either side, can I offer some views on two aspects:
1) Elsewhere, Ken has posted my own views on some of the shambles which took place in and around the call room. My understanding has always been that athletes must go to call room ready to compete, and that they must stay there once they have reported. Indeed, for the races I was involved with, French oficials tried to enforce exactly this arrangement to begin with, down to stopping athletes going to the toilets nearby. However, I personally witnessed several occasions where athletes simply shouted at the officials and walked out of call room, and back into the warmth of the arena to carry on warming up. I wasn’t ever there there when Dexter was in call room, but he does say that he needed to go and put on his sprint suit. My own understanding was, as I said above, that we were supposed to go there ready to race. My problem is that this is only implicit in the Athletes’ Handbook, and whatever the true situation is, it needs to be made more explicit in future handbooks. The Clermont Ferrand handbook for athletes, which was in everyone’s registration pack, says that “ALL competitors will be accompanied by judges from the Call Room to the Stand By area, where they will be called up again.” If this rule does mean that when we go to Call Room, we must not leave for any reason unles escorted, perhaps this can be made even clearer in future. However, individual athletes who I saw take the law into their own hands seem to have faced no sanction from officials. Personally, that worries me, as it creates different laws for those who simply chose to go their own way. Yes, the call room was cold and unacceptable, but it was at least supposed to be the same facility for everyone.
2) At the start of the final, Dexter used a colleague to sit behind his blocks and to brace them with his feet. Was this perhaps influenced by an incident a few minutes earlier when another American hurdler had his blocks slip? That case seemed to me to be human error, which a proper run out before the race started should have identified.
Now, I’ve been a sprinter for many, many years, but I’d never once thought that it might be legal to have another person help you like this. Placing another pair of blocks behind the ones you use is acceptable, and I’ve seen it done – but I’d not seen anyone use another athlete in that role. One person specifically helping another in an event seems to me to go against the spirit of individual competition, man on man. If I’d been in that race, I think I’d have found it at least intimidating. That means that I can well understand why others thought they could appeal against what was done. Not my role to offer a view on the outcome, but if WMA has a rule on this, can it be explicit in the competitor handbook in future, so that we can be spared the sadness of one athlete’s anger against a fellow competitor?
As I was a witness to Dexter’s race I will give you my take. The officials “allowed” him to leave the call room as he asked their permission to put on his speedsuit. Maybe the language barrier contributed to this misunderstanding but they could have said “no”. The blocks literally “blew up” on Fred Johnston in the men’s 60h race and the starting judges did not call the race back even though the equipment failed! Dexter asked if someone could secure his blocks and got an o.k.! I have seen this done at many meets before including our Nationals but maybe there is a rule against it somewhere! I do not see how it is aiding the performance of a race to make sure the blocks function properly. Dexter, you won the race and looked great in your 1st outing of the year.
This too shall pass!…congratulations on a fine performance. You and I and everyone there knows who won the race!
Dexter – My heart goes out to you. And I feel queasy in my gut just imagining how this must be playing on your mind (the no sleep and all).
But let me say how absolutely outstanding it is that you rehabbed a year and came back this strong! Whatever the final result reads, the fact is that, against all odds, you came back and executed! Man, that’s what masters is all about. We never give up. We never quit. We just keep going and going. Congrats! And here’s hoping that bitter taste gets washed away by the true spirit of masters competition (and camaradery) in your next meet … and the next….
You won it…but you got screwed in France (to be expected?)…the thing that would suck for me is the amount of money you put into the trip..money you saved and poured into their 3rd World economy….piss on France…Dexter, as said above: this day too, will pass.
Exactly what I was trying to express! If no red-white&blue blooded American city wants the Masters World Championships, there should be no Masters World Championships. Piss on the rest of the world, as you so eloquently put it, champ. Germany, Austria, France in succession. All bad, very bad. Only us very good. Really good. (Look at the ratio athletes/medals of our US team in France, boys and girls. Sky high, stratospheric high. Simply wonderful and almost unbelievable. Problems? Adversaries? Language? So what, it makes for better stories around the fireplace at home.) Makes you appreciate a National Championship in Charlotte as well.)
well put Stefan – every meet has a controversy or two or more, none are perfect, some seem to be run for the benefit of the LOC and not the athletes, some are too hot (Charlotte) and some are too cold (C-F) etc. Now let the whining begin over the next indoor WMA in Kamloops with its too flat track in too hard to get to place, where no doubt there will be lots of problems, but at least for the foreign language challenged US competitors, there should not be a language problem.
This comment is not meant to disparage Dexter’s issues with his event -and the various interpretations of the rules – that did seem to change just like the weather – snow, rain, wind, sometimes all three at the same time.
It is not the first Worlds where there seem to be a variety of rule books in use simultaneously.
Dexter I feel for you, this is definitely unprofessional and unfair to you.
Dexter, you are a champion many times over, and congratulations on your victory in France! I am so glad you’re back! No one can take this from you. I admire your talent, your focus and your character.
Protesting on some irrelevant non-race issue is the only way these guys can beat you!
Regarding some of the other comments, the rules we follow in world competitions are IAAF, with a handful of amendments made by WMA. That’s it. So, whereas USATF actually allows a “block holder”, and it’s utilized VERY often in the states, IAAF/WMA rules do not mention it.
I’ve seen cases where an official allowed something, and the person/team was DQ’d later for what the official allowed to happen.
The hearing/appeal process is supposed to be fair, of course. Many rules exist regarding this. I believe we BADLY need a rule in place to inform the DQ’d person within 15 minutes of the event final to allow them to appeal. One doesn’t even know they’ve been DQ’d in many cases, and may therefore fail to appeal within the allowed time.
The lesson? Know the rules, assume the officials don’t know them, athlete beware!
FWIW, Alfred Phillip was DQ’d in Italy for pushing down a hurdle with his hands.
I have to apologize. I did not want to cause an international uproar. My earlier comment was pure irony. I feel strongly that we as members of the US team have to behave like American ambassadors. We have to be diplomatic, unfailingly friendly, roll with the punches, accept our shortcomings and those of our hosts when abroad, compete within the rules, apologize for misunderstandings and, most of all, be gracious in victory and defeat. If anybody has a problem with these simple rules, stay home. (This time, I’m sincere.)
MR dexter mccloud ,you inspired me to ,make the effort on the long road back to hurdling ,you had my back and know i have yours,we all no who the true world champion is and his name dexter mccloud.They could not beat you on the track and will not ,and your performance speaks for itself for all of team usa we are proud of your performace and i will right along with you prepare to dominate the world.Also dexter all that you have done to be an great example of a true champion we all know ,and respect you so much, i say this again i respct you so much,for standing by me at worlds and telling the true story,although i was keeping my hernia quiet i made a comeback for injury also but as you told me at worlds focus and comeback slow and ive done that but i always remember those words,thank you.Deter you are the world champion and the french no it,great job team usa.
Dexter, you must be feeling like sxxx. But remember, we all know, and you know, that you are the champion. You have made an incredible come back from the injury, and the fact that you are running again itself is a huge victory and at this level!!! We all have so much to learn from you, Dexter. Just be you, a true gentleman/athlete with a class. I’m so looking forward to seeing your beautiful hurdling again this year. Welcome back!
Hello All,
I am Serge Beckers and I was competing against Dexter in the final.
I first want to express that I find that Dexter is a good and fine athlete, against who I like to compete. As I did in San Sebastian in 2005 (he 2nd – me 4th), and now in Clermont-Ferrand.
I told him in Riccione in 2007 that I wouldn’t have won the Championships if he would have been able to compete (torn hamstring).
I would like to clarify some things and at least be able to tell what happened in my opinion.
What happened in Clermont-Ferrand was that Dexter clearly left the Call Room well in advance (the deputy starter Madame Lavalle said ten minutes) without being allowed to. He talked to nobody and just left the Call Room. All the other competitors saw it clearly at that time.
Alfred Burgos said to me that this was clearly not allowed, but we wanted to go on and race.
During the starting procedure and the false start, apparently Dexter blocks moved. He asked the French starter to be allowed that an athlete would help him hold his blocks. The French starter did not allow this, he only wanted to allow to put an not used starting block horizontal to the startingblock of Dexter. Apparently Dexter did not agree, and Dexter moved on to a WMA-official, who allowed Dexter the help of a fellow American athlete to hold his blocks. The IAAF-ITO, who stood next to the WMA-offical, said that he could not agree with that allowance and that this was a ground for disqualification. The French starter than was forced to go ahead with the race, but without agreeing to the starting method used by Dexter (he said afterwards). He looked closely to the use of the blocks by Dexter and saw that Dexter was now putting his feet high up the starting block. In that position it was logical that the starting blocks on themselves would pivot, if they were not held by the other American athlete. With a normal position of the feet, the starting blocks would not have pivoted. But this is what we were told after the race. You should now that if a starting block can not be used by an athlete, he is allowed to start with another starting block of the LOC (who he deems to be good functioning) or without a starting block (WMA rule which is an exception on the IAAF rule that starting blocks have to be used).
The race went on, Dexter won. But there were no felicitations or smiling faces at the finish. We made the obligate pictures of all the finalists. After this, 6 athletes went on to make a protest against Dexter (in order of finishing : Burgos (AHO), Reddington (GB), Beckers (BEL), Wilkinson (GB), Patry (FRA), Cavalier(FRA)). The head judge decided to disqualify Dexter because of leaving the Call Room without being allowed to do that and for the use of an illegal advantage at the start.
This decision was given in writing to the American Team Manager at 16.05Hr, who posted an appeal to the WMA Jury of Appeal in time (30 minutes of delay). The WMA Jury of Appeal then was called up and a decision was pending. At that time, Dexter, knowing that he was disqualified and that an appeal was introduced, went to the TIC to the medal ceremony. There, he requested the gold medal from the LOC officials, clearly knowing that the appeal- decision was still pending. For that, I repeat that I clearly still respect Dexter as a great athlete and hurdler. Morally I regard him a little less, because he knew that the appeal-decision was pending, and so he should have waited to get the gold medal until the decision was final. Furthermore, the second and third (Burgos and Reddington) did not want to go on the podium with him, because they clearly protested, as did the other already mentioned athletes. So, in regard of that, I really did not like Dexter going to request the gold medal, since he knew it could perhaps not be allowed. Dexter, you are greater than that, I can not understand your action in that matter.
As for me, I clearly was already very pleased that I ran twice a new Belgian Record (semi’s and finals) and that for the first time during three winters, I was able to run a time under 9 seconds (8.60 in 2005 with a foot injury at that time). The bronze medal I was awarded after the protest and appeal, only leaves a bitter taste to me and is a medal without glow.
So I would like to end this reaction by saying that I still find Dexter a fine athlete, against whom I like to compete (even if up until now he still is too strong for me). For the medal ceremony moment, I do not understand his actions. Rules are there to be respected for everyone.
I know the 6 complaining athletes have nothing against the US or the US athletes. Me certainly not. So any nationalistic reaction is really without any ground.
I give you rendez-vous in Lahti Finland for our next championship. I will clearly try to beat Dexter on track, as I always try.
And I hope we can leave this bad episode of master M45 hurdling behind us without grudge, envy or jalousy.
I wanted to make this reaction, because I find that too many biased reactions are already made, and I clearly do not want to be called a poor loser or anti-US opiniated athlete. So please stop these sort of comments.
Best regards
Serge Beckers
Serge,
I have a question for you and the rest of the field. “Do you really believe that he had an unfair advantage?”
If he left the call room early he should have been disqualified before he won the race!
I am wondering how holding the blocks to keep them from pivoting is an advantage? Seems to me that if your blocks are faulty you are at a disadvantage.
I am assuming that Dexter practices his starts alone(without a holder)so to have someone hold them might have been a distraction. (disadvantage)It is my understanding that Dexter had surgery on his abductor so he had to sit out for a year( a huuuuge disadvantage especially for a hurdler) and he still won the gold medal, which is absolutely incredible!!
I have been reading this blog for only 7 years and I must say that there are many different opinions about issues that arise around masters track and field. This is a place where we can express our opinions. We do not make it habit to tell people to stop voicing their opinions if we do not agree.(It is the American Way)
With that said, I have two opinions I would like to add: I do believe that all the athletes in the race that protested are sore losers. Your medals should not have glow because you and the other medalists did not earn them. You won them on technicalities.
For me personally, I like to win by coming across the line first!
Thanks for allowing me to express my opinions.
Okay…I don’t want to get into a lot of international back and forth. But, I am not going to sit back and allow someone to impugn my character.
First – yes, I left the call room. I left it to put on my speedsuit. I did the same thing in the semi-final; why didn’t you say something about it then? And, as I said before, the officials apparently had no problem with it – it was only after the protest was filed that they disqualified me. If you want to hide behind that rule, that’s fine with me…
Second – Yes, I had someone hold my starting blocks. I did this ONLY after I asked the permission of the track official. He kept telling me that my blocks were fine until I demonstrated that they were slipping. I wasn’t sure that he understood what I was saying so I asked Rex Harvey, who was standing nearby, to explain to the official for me. It was only then, that I was ALLOWED to use the blocks. You are implying that I somehow forced these officials to run the race. Ironically, during my appeal, I was told that the TRACK OFFICIAL HAD NO AUTHORITY TO LET SOMEONE HOLD MY BLOCKS!!! I ask you, how can an OFFICIAL at the starting line not have the authority to make a decision regarding the race. And, if he DIDN’T have an authority, why did he give me PERMISSION rather than directing me to someone who DID have authority?
Moreover, I had absolutely no idea that part of my disqualification was because my feet were “high on the blocks”. Which begs the question – how did YOU know this? As far as I know, only the USA Team Manager and myself were to receive the response to MY appeal.
As far as the rule cited for the basis of my disqualification, IAAF rules states NOTHING about an athlete having his blocks held providing an unfair advantage. If anything, it enhances an athletes safety by preventing the blocks from slipping. And as the events from the earlier final shows, the officials would not have called the race back if my blocks HAD slipped. They certainly didn’t for the other athletes when their blocks slipped..
Another thing – why are you saying that you and the others “did not want to go on the podium with me”? I did not talk to you or anyone else after the race or for the remainder of the meet. When I went to the medal ceremony, I went BY MYSELF. I was told by Rex Harvey THE WMA VICE-PRESIDENT to go to the medal ceremony. So don’t try to imply that I “requested” the gold medal behind everyone’s back.
I don’t run for medals, I run for the competition. And what’s most important to me is that I have a picture. It shows me crossing the finish line first.
It is very unfortunate when these things happen. It creates bad blood between athletes. Dexter is clearly a great athlete, but clearly things are not black and white, rather shades of gray.
I certainly find it interesting that Dexter is always involved in these controversies (re: Charlotte ’06), and always casting the blame elsewhere……we cannot all follow our own rules. Blame the French – sure – that is an easy target. Why not look in the mirror and think about TRUE sportsmanship?
Dexter,
I feel for you. That was my first World event, so I don’t know if it is normal for things to be as chaotic as they were in France. As for leaving the call room, I did that myself before the pentathlon, not only that, five or six of the other girls left with me after I asked for permission to use the ladies room. I guess enforcement of the rules was dependant on who was in charge at the time. This was definately the least athlete-friendly meet I’ve ever been to. From being forced to warm up outside in the cold for the pentathlon(first event is the hurdles) to the lack of information available at the “information center” down to having to pay for the pins we put our numbers on with, I’ve never before been to an athletic event that seemed to put the athletes last. Maybe the logistics of keeping track of thousands of athletes caused these problems and inconsistencies. At any rate, I know who the real World champion is and so do a whole lot of other people. I’m sorry that the appeal was unsuccessful and now maybe the only thing to do is to go to Finland and prove it all over again. I plan to be there and would love to watch you win it again.
Susan Wiemer
You had to buy your own pins and warm up in the snow?!?!?! WOW!
Travers or whatever your name is….clearly you’re not aware of all the facts. Go back and read all of these blogs..I never once blamed the French. This entire incident stemmed from two people in my heat that I BEAT. THATS who I blamed.
The rules you claim that I broke were that I left the call room; however, this “rule’ is A) not an IAAF rule; it was declared by the LOC for this meet and B) many, many MANY athletes refused to stand in that room due to the cold (but they were NOT disqualified).
As for the “controversy” in Charlotte, I was involved in a hurdle race where I was disqualified then the disqualification was overturned. I never filed a protest. The “controversy” as you put was because the official who reinstated me (and rightfully so) was from Georgia.
If you want to render an opinion, that’s fine. But, you should at least know what you are talking about.
Dexter ,great job on your victory in the hurdles at the usa championships ,you proved you are a man of heart and determination ,and i commened you on a great race and great victory.this is going to be a great season with you healthy and running so well the 110,s the will be a great chance to break the world record this year. lets do it good luck your hurdle brother dave ashford
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