Epic Failure

It's a bit of a shame that there isn't a formal replacement list for athletes anyway. Would it really be difficult to have, say, 4 athletes per event on notice that they are first in line for a place in case of withdrawal? We've seen today several GBR athletes pull out, whether it is injury (Hughes) or a change of plans to completely go for Paris (Hudson-Smith). If the next eligible athlete in a formal list could get to Rome before Friday, why not let them try? Better that than an empty lane. Obviously there has to be a cut off time *eventually*, but we're still 4 days away from the first event of the week. I find it difficult to believe that anyone in Europe couldn't get to Rome in 4 days.

It's really not helped in an Olympic year. It's a tough sell to the Beeb to fork out for it. On a related, note, some changes to the GB & NI team announced this morning. Out - Hughes, Hudson-Smith, Lansiquot, Mitchell-Blake In - Sibbons (4x100m relay) Hughes was not a shock after he pulled up in Jamaica. Hudson-Smith says he's just prioritising Paris, which is fair enough. No specifics about Imani or Nethaniel though. In less dramatic news, Neita is focussing on the 200m rather than doing the double. And Amy Hunt is getting an individual run in the 100m, as well as her relay duties.

EAA u turn on the French Federation Fuckup Sensible decision.

I mean, there's this page, which does imply that they plan to have some live coverage - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002050g/episodes/guide Whether that is just a filler page and nothing will come of it later in the week remains to be seen obviously.

Because Kramer is probably one of the better chances of a home win on the track and meet organisers always prefer to try and send a crowd home with a nice local performance if possible.

I mean, if we're talking about poor decisions by EAA we could be here all day. The byes in the sprint events bother me far more than one decathlete getting an unearned opportunity.

Possible 3rd choice - as a 2 time Olympic champion, she's not stressed too much if she does or doesn't make it. If she does, great. If she doesn't, well, she's got those other golds to console her!

That's a coincidence. It'll be only be an actual conspiracy if they let Habz and Bedard in. Or the French heptathletes.

That doesn't change the fact that they are clearly not just doing what they can to help the 'big country', which is what you said they were doing. They are helping one athlete. That's it. They couldn't care about the other less famous athletes, whether they are French, Swedish or Austrian. It's athlete specific bias, not country bias.

She hasn't competed at all this year. Nothing since last July. It'll be interesting to see how she approaches Rome, assuming she's fit enough to get through the 7 events. She probably doesn't need to push too hard - her WR in the pentathlon from the Euros last March would count towards a ranking place if she is able to put something competitive in place here.

I think there's a difference between one team lying and a governing body amending its rules at short notice that might provide a benefit to certain people. The latter is...distasteful. The former is cheating.

Again, if they are *just* doing it to favour the big country, why have Habz and Bedard not been allowed in then?

I mean, technically, they changed the rules to allow Mayer in. They amended the competition regulations on 10th May specifically to allow this. So in the most technical of senses, they haven't broken any rules. They've just shown that the rules aren't really worth much...

I mean, they haven't rewarded France for fucking up with the hept, nor for not getting Habz entered (who is probably a much better medal prospect than Mayer right now). So I don't think that they are just somehow pro-France. They are pro-Mayer.

I mean, if I'm being honest, I'll be amazed if he even finishes the first day. If Mayer were to perform well enough here to get a place in Paris/medal, I've no problem with it. It would show that he is still good enough to be at the Olympics. Getting any athlete to the end of any combined events is a miracle in itself. It's the one event where I just support all the athletes who do it, no matter whether they are from my country or others. I'm hoping Nafi can do something similar in the hept. I accept that others will have a different view and I respect that.

I have no problem with the Mayer decision. I have a big problem with the other decision. I'm just viewing them as separate issues. If the result of Mayer not going would be that the hept field would be the full 24, I would support that. But we both know that won't be the case.

Again, I've no problem with adding Mayer on his own. Yes, he probably shouldn't be there. Yes, it is sentimental and they are trying to do a favour to him/the Olympics. If he were taking the spot of someone else, I'd think it was terribly unjustified. But nobody really loses for him being there. But the fact of the matter is that they aren't going to put the heptathletes in - whether the French, Swedish or Austrian - if Mayer isn't there. There would just be 24 men and 22 women. Everyone is losing there and that's not going to change whether Mayer is there or not.

In fairness, at least Mayer was just added to the field. Nobody has really lost out there. The heptathlon issue is far worse, because of the knock on effect on Sweden and Austria. Not to mention the French athletes who've missed out because their own federation is incompetent. Just a mess all round.

I imagine it is something to do with the heptathlon entries debacle.

Yeah, once that 3rd wicket partnership got going it wasn't even close. That's T20 for you.

Oh, I'm fine. I'm just annoyed from a viewpoint of hoping that the sport would actually try and increase its visibility somewhat.

But my point is that you can't change that if it is stuck on Willow TV. The only people who are going to be watching that are those who already care. At the very least someone at either the ICC or US cricket board should have tried to get it on a more accessible channel. Even if we're talking only about FS1 or something. Hell, ESPN+ regularly has cricket on it and probably has a wider reach than willow TV.

Draw for what - the Olympics? I'd imagine not until after the final qualifying tournament later in the month.

World Rugby clearly would love the 15s game to spread. But they have to push back against the established countries and their tournaments to do it. The increase in the 15s WC to 24 teams shows that WR is in favour of it. It's easier in 7s where they have more control over the top level of the game. And, as Dodge says, the competitiveness is greater there.

I mean, she's right. She's just not the person to be making that argument...