Athletics Politics - Michael Johnson Interview

Michael Johnson being interviewed by Sue Barker on BBC Television on 24th March 2006, Day 9 of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. The British 4 x 100m Relay squad had just failed to get the baton around.

The text over the interview has been added to emphasise that UK Athletics are the problem.

Athletics in the United Kingdom is contested under UK Athletics rules. As administrators, UK Athletics should maintain a role of strict impartiality between athletes, yet they fund some and not others based on subjective criteria. They assist some with medical support and not others. The very existence of UK Athletics undermines the bedrock of fairness and equality for all in athletics. They contaminate the environment have been shown in the long term to harm more than they help the athletes they seek to assist.

The AAA of England were the guardians of the sport's values in England. UK Sport and Sport England forced the effective closure of the AAA's and have created a "Son of" UK Athletics, called England Athletics who will do as they are told, and have responsibility for developing talent. What business does any governing body have in identifying and developing talent, unless it develops all talent equally.

Athletes must be allowed to emerge naturally, based on equality and fairness in competition. If funding is available, it must be distributed based solely on results in the national championships in a transparent way, not as the result of an interview or the recommendations of a senior coach.

See:

www.british-athletics.co.uk SLASH foster SLASH altern.pdf

for a paper presenting the way forward for the sport of athletics.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Athletics
• Politics
• Michael
• Johnson
• UK
• Sport
• England

[luckyjamal]

wat micheal johnson is saying is  true

britian media hype they Athletics but they never win anything .

[BritishAthletics]

The Media, (BBC) hype the athletes because they have paid millions of pounds to cover the events. The athletes are the victims of the hype, not the beneficiaries. Last year they hyped Craig Pickering and Martyn Rooney, the year before it was Mark Lewis Francis, this year it is Jessica Ennis and Simeon Williamson.

UK Athletics are the problem. Athletes must be given transparent funding. That means prize money in domestic championships and selection for GB, with no strings, attached.

[Nyame30]

They should put Micheal Jhonson in charge of uk athletics. He clearly knows what it takes to win, being a winner himself.

[robbbie85]

I think Michael Johnson should be promoted to King of the United Kingdom. Or at least to the House of Lords.

[TheKamakuraBoy]

The guy is right; he speaks his mind, even when it might cost him some financially.

The BBC are lucky to have him.

[TeifiValley123]

@Nikkah4evah Youre right about Jodie Williams. Its like watching a crash is slow-mo, or Mark Lewis-Francis' career. It's a bit like the athletes are being killed with kindess isn't it.

[everythingisthat12]

OH CRAP MICHAEL. BECAREFUL. DON'T PULL A MUSCLE.

[stardustdave85]

THE GUY IS A LEGEND AND A TRUE PROFESSIONAL IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.HE HADNO SYMPATHY FOR USAIN BOLT WHEN HE WAS DISQUALIFIED BECAUSE JOHNSON SAID HE NEVER MADE A FALSE START FOR HIS ENTIRE CAREER

[Nikkah4evah]

Obviously, the system hasn't really changed. With his statements at the end, he could've easily been talking about Jodie Williams. We'll see next year though.

[outofslumber]

@luckyjamal

I wouldnt say it was a British problem. More an "English" one. The other nations pundits seem to have their expectations in check, the Scots being a good example. With sport in general the Scots have a realistic approach to success.They learned a hard lesson in 1978 with Allys Army and the Scottish football team, who had the world cup all but won and then failed miserably. It was a great side and they might have done well. Lesson learned. The English though...hype every time.

[40DEllis]

@outofslumber

Exactly. Rather than wait and see if they actually achieve something the media (and fans) praise them to the heavens (the Golden Generation!!!). Then when they fail, or more accurately only manage to achieve their potential the team is called every name under the sun.

Michaels point is we should support them, but not build them up too much. Make them work for their success - and the rewards. If you give them the rewards up front they will invariably under achieve.

[outofslumber]

@40DEllis

Every 4 years we have to stomach how England have a great chance to win the world cup. Its beyond irritating.

[40DEllis]

Michael is saying that other sports in the USA are so much more important that Track and Field athletes only get recognition when they achieve on the World stage - and even then they don't get too much recognition.

In the UK we are so eager / keen / desperate to support our sportsmen and women in athletics, football, cricket etc that we heap the praise (and money) on them before they really achieve anything.

Ultimately it's a double edge sword - support them too much, or not enough.

[improm2u]

he means they get credit and over exposure in the media and are celebs etc before they have achieved anything in the sport , in the usa they wouldnt bat an eye lid at some of the times /scores our athletes get