Sopot Diary: Ukraine Athletics Federation statement, reported by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

Sopot, Poland’s Ergo Stadium

UKRAINE: Ukrainian Athletics Federation (FLAU) addressed the World Athletics community. The statement says among other: “In a couple of days we will be visiting the World Athletic Championship in, Poland, a country which has common border with Ukraine. We appeal to you with a request to use your influence on the government of your country and NGOs to prevent the escalation of the conflict and maintain peace in Ukraine and worldwide.”

(Editor’s note: As I sit in my hotel room in Gydnia, the 38 TV stations that I have access to, in French, German, Russian, Polish and Lithuanian, all are focused on the Ukraine Crisis. I have to admit, much better presented and seemingly accurate than CNN. There is also a fascinating station, Russia Today, RT, which is available in US as well. Think if Fox News in the U.S. became a mouthpiece for the Russian Federation. Amazingly slanted stories on US, some with good points to make, but the coverage of Ukraine is fascinating.

This morning, we saw news of 10,000 supporters of new government of Ukraine and 2,000 supporters of Russian involvement were separated in square in Donetsk. Nearby, 200 Russian supporters raised flag on government building. Remember that less than three weeks ago, Renaud Lavillenie set a new WR in the Donetsk hosted Samsung Pole Vault Stars meeting.)

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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