With Barnwell expunged, WMA posts corrected results for Lahti
World Masters Athletics has posted new results for the events Val Barnwell took part in at Lahti, Finland. See the redo here. Val’s suspension for a drug positive at Lahti worlds means everyone behind him moves up a spot, but WMA President Stan Perkins has decided (on his own authority?) to let Val’s M50 teammates in the 4×100 and 4×400 keep their medals. It wasn’t a popular decision, but I think it was the right one. Just because Olympic teammates of Marion Jones or other cheats lose their relay medals doesn’t mean WMA has to follow suit. If WAVA (the predecessor to WMA) had followed IAAF dictates in the 1970s, no coach would be eligible to compete in masters track, since that would open the doors to “professionalism.” WAVA told the IAAF to stuff it, and we’ve gone our own way on many issues ever since.
3 Responses
I am not sure how best to understand the relay result. Any reference to the Americans even being in the relays have been removed, with Great Britain now shown as the Gold Medalists. Does the decision mean that the US team members do not have to return the medals, but the Great Britain team should also now receive Golds as the winners? The US relay team members are really nice guys and I can understand their disappointment. Also Congratulations to James Chinn who now picks up 2 more individual medals in the 100m and 200m.
Jeff,
Congratulations to you and your relay team members.
I only move up in the 200m, I was not in the 100m finals.
Please feel free to drop me a email when you get a chance.
jameschinn400@gmail.com
Congratulations to all true medallists, and particularly to the new four times Champion! Glad to note that the performances and looks of the new champ are not as superhuman as the formers’!
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