I retweeted a tweet earlier today a story from BBC Sports suggesting that Lynsey Sharp was not happy with Caster Semenya racing 800 meters once again.
Lynsey Sharp, photo by PhotoRun.net
Did the BBC pressure Lynsey Sharp into speaking about Caster Semenya?
Per a keen observer of the sport, who was there, Lynsey Sharp said that she did not want to speak about Caster Semenya. In fact, she said she wanted to focus on herself and getting faster. Sharp thought she could run 1:56, and if son, she would be in the mix.
GB journalists asked her if she “thought athletes should boycott Semenya races?”. Our observer noted that Lynsey Sharp was asked the same question repeatedly.
Ms. Sharp was asked ” Would you say that if Semenya was in a race your are running for second place?”. She (Lynsey) said yes, hesitantly, but ti did not represent what she wanted to say.
As our observer finally noted, ” But hey, let’s not let the truth get in the way of a good story.”
So, RunBlogRun thinks the whole issue is a cluster. Caster Semenya has been treated poorly since 2009, but the CASS ruling is an example of how people who neither understand nor appreciate science can screw things up.
RunBlogRun does not believe it is fair to push Lynsey Sharp or any other athlete to push any agenda. If the a journalist thinks that it is horse Sh#T that Ms. Semenya is allowed to run, then, say so, do not hide behind an athlete.
Truth is, for track fans, the story should be that Lynsey Sharp had just run two 1:59 800 meter races in four days, meaning she is returning to fitness.
The Caster Semenya story will be told in all of its lurid details during the Olympics, especially by media who do not have the whole story. Easy, lurid stories get fast attention.
Oh, nice racing, Lynsey Sharp!
