Momentum is building. More people are joining my call for USATF to pay for Anselm and Renee’s way to Beijing for their masters races at IAAF worlds. (Fifty have signed my petition.) One notable supporter is Donald Schaefer, an Oregon-based USATF national umpire. On the USATF officials Facebook page, he wrote: “After speaking to many of our masters athletes, and several officials I found that I am not the only one who feels this is an injustice. My answer to this was to phone the USATF office today and voice my complaint in as nice a manner as I could muster to say this was not right. Neither of these athletes asked me for any help — instead they are attempting to raise money on their own. I find this unfortunate. USATF can certainly find the $$ to send these two elite Masters representatives without them having to go to fundraising sites. I think we could all put a tad bit of pressure to help this along in the right way USATF 317-261-0500. They are in an all-day meeting today, but you can leave a message. Respectfully, and trying to do the right thing.” Thanks for doing this, Doug! I’ve also learned how other nations are handling costs of their Beijing-bound masters invitees.

From Great Britain, a top official writes:

The athletes themselves were having to fund this themselves, originally. As it looked as we would get two athletes going, in January I booked two hotel rooms for five nights for them in central Beijing and then got BMAF to agree to pay for these rooms – $450
each.

Others are trying to get further funding from UK Athletics, but I am not about to hold my breathe. However, WMA are now saying they will pay for four nights accommodation and food, although the details have yet to materialise.

Because of that, our athletes are tending to be doing everything themselves, booking flights, separate accommodation etc. mainly so that they can be in total control of their environment as best they can.

Even I am going out there to do what I can to ensure they are catered for properly. Athletes are there to compete not to be worried what ‘hurdles’ officials will make them jump over, where Masters events may be a minor side show for those officials, but it is very important to those athletes and even more important to the Masters Athletics movement as a whole.

From France came this post by Francois Bontemps:

It is an honor to be the first masters to participate to this event. When you see the number of people paid by federation just to be closed to athletes it is a pity that Masters are not considered as real athletes as other ones.

We are lucky in France, thanks to President of French federation our athletes will be considered as any other athletes selected to this championship: travels and costs will be handled by French federation as for Renaud Lavillenie.

From Down Under comes this note from Wilma Perkins, president of Australian Masters Athletics:

Australian Athletics is meeting the travel costs of our two Aussie masters athletes competing in Beijing and will incorporate them as part of the team including their uniforms. Australian Masters Athletics is really appreciative of this support from Athletics Australia in recognising the importance of our two masters athletes competing in Beijing.

From Canada comes this reply from Paul Osland, president of CMA and Beijing 800 entrant:

Canadian Masters Athletics ‎is paying a portion of the costs for the two athletes chosen to run in the masters 800m race. Similar to the US situation, Athletics Canada (AC) does not have any Budget to help cover any of the additional costs, so the athletes will have to cover the rest. AC will allow us to stay at the same hotel as as the rest of the Canadian Team, but they are not able to cover the cost of the hotel. AC will provide us with a team uniform at no cost.

Unfortunately the masters inclusion in the IAAF World Championships this year was a last-minute addition with not enough advance notice going out to everyone that this was happening, so very hard to change budgets that had already been set at least a year in advance. Hopefully this is the first of many masters inclusion in the future that each of the countries can better plan for.

We are already having great discussions with AC and CMA in Canada and believe that this can be much better in the future. We are experiencing a few growing pains, but this is a great first step!

Imagine a world-class 800 man being chair of USATF Masters T&F! Run, Anselm, run!

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