Commonwealth Games 2010: Team England accused of ‘payback’
Australian athlete Sally Pearson was the first to finish the 100 metres blue ribband event and was allowed to do the lap of honour with the Australian flag, on Thursday evening, the fourth day of the Commonwealth Games competitions. A protest by the members
of Team England followed the race, which resulted in the disqualification of the Australian hurdle specialist from the event, just moments before she was about to walk to the medal ceremony. She was taken aback by this declaration and moved out in tears. She
was alleged of a false start along with England’s Laura, who was also given a red card. Laura finished the race in the last spot, after she was allowed to proceed on the track.
The chief executive of Athletics Australia Nick Honey said that the protest that followed the women’s 100 metre event on Thursday was a payback for the protest that Australian team launched against the English team in the 4 into 400 metre women’s event four
years ago at the Melbourne Games. Honey added that it was just an attempt to elevate the position of the England’s Katherine Endacott to the third position to make her eligible for the bronze medal after Pearson was disqualified. Honey was recorded as saying
“It goes back, I think, to the last Commonwealth Game.” Honey went on to say that “With the (2006) 4 into 400 metre relay for the girls and the Australians, we informed the officials and got the English girls disqualified, so it might be a bit of payback.”
The president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Mike Fennell said that the athlete was right that she should have been informed about the decision before she was sent to the winners waiting room where she was preparing for the medal ceremony.
Some experts have also said that the athlete should have been given the red card right at the beginning of the race along with Laura Turner, since Pearson’s reaction time was recorded as 0.071 seconds. She was allowed to run the race without any hindrance.
Fennel has been recorded as saying, “A number of things happen concurrently. The results are announced, and then you are allowed a certain time to make a protest.” He went on to say, “Someone did not communicate that a protest was being made. It was a major
communication blunder by the officials at the athletics.” Fennell added, “If you have a protest than athletes should be told they are put on hold and the reasons why.”
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