USA Track and Field Facing Decertification

The US Olympic Committee (USOC) is prepared to decertify USA Track and Field (USATF) unless they create a plan for “organizational reform” by June 24, 2008 – just three days short of when the American athletes will begin competing for spots at the Beijing Olympic Games. 

What happened?  Back in December (2007), USOC chief executive, Jim Scherr, asked the USATF board members to downsize.  This shouldn’t have seemed like an unreasonable request since the same was asked for the governing bodies of boxing, gymnastics, volleyball, judo and field hockey.  It should also be noted that the USOC, itself, has also been streamlined, going from a 125-member board to just eleven! 

So far, the USOC has been unimpressed with how things are progressing but Stephanie Hightower, a USATF board member, has said that it boils down to a difference in how each group believes things should be.  The USATF president, Bill Roe, added: “For example, a sport like karate would have a very simple (board) structure. All the coaches do one thing, all the officials do one thing, all the athletes do one thing. Things are different in track and field.” 

I can see that.  Each of the sports that comprise track and field are so different and specialized that I am inclined to agree with the assertion that streamlining would be a more delicate, difficult process.  It must be even more stressful right before an Olympics.

Still, the USOC have all the power and they are threatening to withdraw funding, dismiss/replace USATF’s board members or decertify the USATF.  The USOC has previously decertified three national federations – team handball, modern pentathlon and taekwondo. 

image provided by newscom