Hugging is OK at German masters nationals. How many other nations allow foreign entries?
USATF has rules and policies called “masters exceptions.” The Germans should learn from us.
Alfred Hermes notes a recent decision by the
German Athletics Federation (DLV is their acronym) to limit German national championships to German citizens. The policy
(detailed here) has the unintended effect of squeezing German masters nationals. The DLV says the policy starting in 2017 “harmonizes” with those of “most other countries.” Maybe at the elite level, but masters generally are run as all-comers meets. Reason for the change? Some clubs at the open level apparently used foreigners living or working in Germany to pad their club budgets and scoring potential. “The new regulations are intended to prevent the practice of ‘German lobbies’ in a neighboring country to ‘borrow’ integrated athletes for a DM start, so as to improve their success account and focus again on the determination of the best German athlete,” said the DLV announcement. Too bad one-size-fits-all applies to German masters.
4 Responses
Of the thousands of results posted at the German National All-Comers Meet this year, nine people weren’t German. Maybe they’re all at their own nationals?
By the way, it was German clubs, not German lobbies padding their results.
As past President of the USA Masters Federation we welcome athletes from all countries – they are our guests.
Gary Snyder
Each country must be allowed to act as it thinks fit in this matter. But I do like the U.S. practice. As I understand it, a non-U.S. citizen may participate in the USATF Masters Championships:
1. As a ‘Guest’ i.e. compete but not for a U.S. masters championship title and medal. That is as it should be. Why should a non-U.S. citizen deprive a U.S. citizen of a U.S. championship title and medal?
2. Receive a commemorative championship medal for a placing anyway. That is a very nice gesture.
USA Masters have got it exactly right.
USATF Masters Rule 332(2)(g) provides:
“At National Track and Field Championships, the athletes advanced to the final in every event shall consist of at least 2/3rds who are USA affiliated as determined by WMA. If adjustments are needed to meet this requirement, then the reduction in guest finalists shall be determined by performance with no consideration to place.
Those USA affiliated athletes that were advanced to the finals by place shall retain their position and the additional USA affiliated athletes that will be added to the final shall be selected by performance with no consideration to place. The number of finalists shall not be increased to include additional non-USA affiliated athlete finalists.”
With nine lanes of sprint finals, at least three lanes could be filled with non-U.S. Citizens.
Masters track and fieldsters have many different goals. For some, it’s a world record, or a gold medal. For others it is making a national championship final. Not a good feeling to pay your money and find out that you are shut out of a final and a possible medal because you are displaced by non-U.S. Citizens. Especially, when other country championships are closed. I suppose some Canadians may feel the same way when we show up.
See: http://www.ortmanmarchand.com/fs9.html
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