USATF CEO Max Siegal Steps in to Right a Wrong

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NDIANAPOLIS
‰ÛÓ Gabriele Grunewald has been reinstated as the 2014 USA indoor women’s
3,000-meter champion and named to Team USA for the 2014 IAAF World
Indoor Championships, USATF CEO Max Siegel announced Monday. Grunewald
will be joined by Shannon Rowbury in the women’s 3,000m at World
Indoors, March 7-9 in Sopot, Poland.

Siegel
on Monday spoke with representatives for Grunewald and Jordan Hasay,
the two athletes involved in jostling during the women’s 3,000
contested Saturday at the 2014 USA Indoor Track & Field
Championships in Albuquerque. Grunewald won the race, followed by
Rowbury, Sara Vaughn and Hasay, but she was ultimately disqualified by
the Jury of Appeal for clipping Hasay’s stride. The final
disqualification was made on the basis of enlarged, digital footage of
the legs and feet of both athletes.

Siegel’s
conversations included Paul Doyle, Grunewald’s representative, and
Alberto Salazar, Hasay’s coach who had filed the initial protest and
subsequent appeals. Salazar made clear that Hasay felt withdrawal was
the right thing to do, and with the agreement of all parties, Grunewald
was reinstated.

“I
had productive discussions with both Paul and Alberto,” Siegel said.
“Both are passionate people who passionately advocate for their
athletes. And both want what is best for the sport and as well and its
athletes.

“Our
women’s track & field meet officials, who volunteer their time to
serve the sport, made a field-of-play decision based on the video
evidence they saw,” Siegel said. “They followed the process laid out in
our competition rules, with no USATF employee or officer part of the
appeal or the decision. We are all looking forward and will address our
processes to try to minimize the potential for controversy or
misunderstanding in the future.”

“As
with all of the competitors who lined up on Saturday, I desperately
wanted to make the team to represent the United States at the upcoming
World Indoor Track and Field Championships.  Since Saturday evening my
emotions have ranged from despair to determination to go to Poland and
represent my country as best I can.  After much thought and
consideration, however, I have decided to withdraw my protest as I do
not want to make a national team under these circumstances.  I wish all
members of the USA team going to Poland my best and look forward to
continuing to train hard and competing to represent the USA in future
World Championship and Olympic Games.” said Hasay.

“I
want to thank Max for his leadership in resolving this issue and Jordan
for her withdrawal,” Doyle said. “Everyone was in a difficult
situation. Jordan is a first-rate athlete and a class act. We
appreciate getting this resolved.”

“My
intention was what every coach wants – to advocate for my athlete,”
Salazar said. “It was a physical race and when I saw the contact and
the flag go up, I filed a protest. I appreciate Max’s involvement and
wish nothing but the best for Gabe and Shannon in Sopot.”