2 Mexicans hit with lifetime bans — for social media, bad behavior
Marco’s offense? Self-promotion. Oops, I’m dead.
Here’s the original wording, in case the link goes south:
WMA Affiliates and Athletes,
Please take note that the two athletes below have been given “Life Time Bans” by the Mexican Athletes Masters Commission (COMAM).
WMA has endorsed the actions taken by the MAMC and would like all Regions, affiliates and athletes to be aware of the situation. Full details of all charges are with the athletes and MAMC.
COMMISSION STATEMENT 5 October 2015:
After a long and exhaustive process through our Mexican Justice Ssystem, the Mexican Athletes Masters Commission (COMAM) council has determined that the following athletes are banned for life from competing in any “Masters Sport” in Mexico or around the world and belonging to any sports institution, starting today. (20 July 2015) “ subject to any other appeals through the Mexican Justice System.”
Marco Antonio Franco Díaz; M47: born August 8, 1970
Regularly falsified information and results, publicizing himself in his local newspaper and social media, lying to his sponsors, and city council for his personal benefit.
Benjamín López Rendón M67: born September 26, 1948
Due to inappropiate behavior against fellow athletes, disregarding authority, trying to compete whilst being banned.
14 Responses
I’ve seen Marco at several Southern CA area track meets. He’s easy to pick out because he likes to wear bright neon colors. I spoke with him briefly. He’s a very pleasant man, yes, heavy on the self-promotion talk, but I’ve met masters athletes who are far worse!
Wow, that sounds like a pretty stiff penalty for claiming someone is lying on social media. My goodness we can have sponsors? I say cool! Self promotion. What actual track and field rules did these guys break? I’ll have to reframe from embellishing my performances on Facebook.
It seems that “regularly falsified information and results,” is a far cry from “publicizing himself in his local newspaper and social media.”
I’d be curious to what ““inappropiate behavior against fellow athletes, ” means.
I have sent queries to everyone involved. Stay tuned.
Simple. They probably voiced criticism of their athletics officers.
Obviously they take results very seriously in Mexico.
Sorry by my English grammar. This is what I got.
I met Marco Franco at the Mexican Masters championships in 2013 in Morelia. He was very pleasant but I was intrigued when he told me, he only was interested in competing in Central American championships and not in the world championships because his sponsors demanded medals. There are many masters athletes in Mexico receiving sponsorship from companies and municipalities, he was one of them.
After the 2014 Mexican masters championships, some publications and social media reported the Marco Franco won four gold medals, the articles were showing the results with Marco winning 4 events and photos with Marco Franco with 4 medals.
The results were made up, the only gold medal he won in the 2014 championships was in the 4×400.
The Mexican master association asked Marco Franco an explanation and he blame the fault in the reporter. The Mexican Master association contacted the reporter and he said that the results were provided by Marco Franco.
The Mexican master association, suspended Marco Franco and requested a meeting to explain what happened..
Marco Franco replied with lawsuits threats and sent letters to the WMA telling them he was suspended unfairly and defamed the Mexican Master association.
Marco is obviously guilty of misrepresenting his age, M47 born in 1970? Hmm something really is fishy here lol
Thank you very much Lucho Huarcaya. Your English got better and better. Congratulations.
The only legally secure procedure to suspend an athlete is:
1. Request a meeting with the accused to determine what happened.
2. Then, and only then, make a ruling/suspension. Not the other way around.
3. Provide the accused with a mechanism for appeal against the suspension.
If that procedure was not strictly adhered to, then the Mexican masters federation did indeed suspend Marco Franco unfairly.
In that context it was Marco Franco’s right to initiate a lawsuit against the Mexican masters federation and send letters to WMA alleging unfair suspension. Once suspended, what else could he do?
Inherent in the concept of ‘Defamation’ is that Marco Franco made a false statement that harmed the Mexican masters federation.
What did Marco Franco state about the Mexican masters officers that was not true? How were they harmed?
Lucho, bien hecho clarando la historia, tu ingles estaba bien, hermano!
Lucho, Well done clarifing this story, you expressed yourself well in English, my friend.
With that said, can someone please tell me how these people get sponsors? I have been trying to get a sponsor forever and no one’s interested, and then I read about a guy making results up and getting paid for it, makes me nuts! Sorry if this seems narcissistic but I am really curious.
Tony
I consider falsifying results as serious as doping.
Both get you higher on the rankings list.
Sounds like several people are O.K with Marco Diaz misrepresenting himself and his accomplishments for self gain and aggrandizement. If all athletes were able to lie about their times or distances, we would have something like anarchy and no rankings system or reporting agency would be able to maintain an honest and accurate site. “Let the punishment fit the crime”–whatever that may be.I am neither Judge nor Jury. Who would be qualified and fair in that regard? So Be It.
I see that it is personal. If someone tells me that I won 10 medals and not check the results which are public, that bad. Mislead a local government hahaha cheat a political lol, when the results are public, where this counterfeiting. I think Marco get money more for his image than by the medals.Because we’ve seen some outside of competition paying 100 dll or more for a medal and many saying that they have a super time and is no truth there is much in the world so who is free of sin cast the first stone. This only promotes a Marco and if the handles the media well and appeals this decision he win and the WMA have to rethink their way of making decisions and understand that some Presidents of associations is a personal business. And now can sanction things trivial and not objective as it is doping.
The master TF it’s rare, the justice is different, with only cross the border. In US by doping 2 years and in Mexico to someone who never was doped, has 73 golds and by some local socialmedia is suspended lifetime. would someone explain to me? or maybe the WMA.
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