Hayward Field, Olympic Trials, July 2016, photo by PhotoRun.net
Where is the USATF board’s grand vision to save the sport? by Ken Goe, OregonLIVE/The Oregonian, with commentary from RunBlogRun
Outside of the Willamette Valley, track and field in this country is almost invisible as a spectator sport.
We can debate causes. The effect is indisputable.
Few people go to meets. Few watch on television. Few care.
This means it’s difficult for athletes who are extraordinarily successful in college to pursue the sport post-collegiately because it can be almost impossible to make a living as a professional track and field field athlete.
I don’t blame the leadership of USA Track & Field for this. But I also don’t see the leadership thinking creatively for ways re-engage with the public.
While the USATF leadership sat on its hands, Vin Lananna busily was raising the sport’s profile in this corner of the country as a University of Oregon coach and administrator, and with the TrackTown USA local organizing committee.
To read the story in its entirety: http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2018/02/where_is_the_usatf_boards_gran.html
RunBlogRun opines: The plot thickens. The DOJ investigation, reported by NYT Times and Reuters (http://www.straitstimes.com/sport/us-prosecutors-investigating-corruption-at-fifa-ioc-and-usoc-says-new-york-times-report) on February 1, 2018. It was denied then, and Vin Lananna did not inform USATF Board that he had been contacted by DOJ. That unsmart move played right into the hands of USATF Board. Lananna has been placed on administrative leave due to the DOJ investigation. That he was a thorn in the Boards’ backside is self evident. Steve Miller noted that this was a pre emptive strike to protect the reputation and brand of USATF . That makes total sense.
The USATF Board has been at logger heas with Mr. Lananna since his election in 2016. The many things that Vin Lananna has championed is being used to remove him from USATF Presidency due to the concern by Board over his conflict of interests.
