News Archive
2009
2008
Secret Deal Allows Runner To March
The Sunday Age
Sunday August 10, 2008
A SECRET deal by Athletics Australia has sparked fury within the track and field team based in Hong Kong.
Athletics Australia allowed runner Sean Wroe to go to Beijing early and attend Friday night's opening ceremony to march with other athletes. But the 400-metre runner's deal was apparently organised without the knowledge of other Australian athletes, who are now furious that they were denied a similar opportunity.Joel Milburn, another 400-metre runner, had cancelled flights to Beijing after being told by Athletics Australia in June that he could not go. A furious Milburn confronted athletics officials in Hong Kong yesterday. This comes as other athletes are becoming frustrated with the inferior accommodation allocated in Hong Kong, while other Olympic athletes are preparing in the Beijing Olympic village."It's something I wanted to do since I was a little kid," Milburn said of marching in the ceremony. "For someone to take that away from me was extremely disappointing . . . For some athletes, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and they've been denied that."A month out from the Games, Athletics Australia said no Australian athlete would march because of several factors - including pollution - and emailed an official letter outlining their stance to Olympic athletes and coaches.Athletics Australia's high performance manager Max Binnington did not want Wroe to march but was under enormous pressure. Wroe and his coach put in a program several months ago that was approved by the body and forwarded to the AOC. But no other athletes were told of the special exception.At a dinner at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong to celebrate the opening ceremony, athletes expressed their disappointment. Medal favourite hurdler Sally McLellan and shot putter Dani Samuels said they were both sad not to have marched.
© 2008 The Sunday Age
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