Womens 4x400 Relay - An UnAustralian Victory

[Slash McBurn]

I thought we learnt from the Chappell brothers and their infamous underarm bowling victory against NZ just how unAustralian it is not to win fair and square.

The supreme bitch of Australian sport, Tasmyn Lewis, complained that the English runner Natasha Danvers lined up out of order.Officials had no choice but to uphold Lewis' technical protest against the English Womens 4 x 400 Relay team who completely shat over all their competitors. The rule is in place to as a safeguard against spiteful interference at the often congested baton changes charteristic of the 4x400 relays. If there was genuine interference that would have altered the result, not matter how remote the chance, I would agree with the protest. But that's not what we're dealing with here ladies and gentleman. No siree. What we do have here is a talented athlete who has never been good enough to be No 1 but will do anything and everything she can to garner the accolades that she thinks she warrants. Many will stand up in her defence and parade the pathetic "rules are rules" line that she bellowed last night. Well might that be but in sport there is a notion of sportsmanship that this athlete has brought into disrepute. Tasmyn Lewis, YOU are the loser and the Gold Medal you hold is weightless.

Note: I am a sixth gen Australian of convict descent not some jaded Pommy clubber coming down badly.

[Stream]

Agreed. What a loser. I'm sorry Tamsyn but it would have been in the best spirit of your sport to have just shut the fuck up. I don't know who I am more acrimonious towards, tamsyn or jana...both bring back stellar lleyton hewitt memories in his heyday. Tall poppy syndrome...no, not even. Back in your box!!

[N4TE]

Didn't see it, don't give a shit about it, I just agree with you in principal. Earn first or accept second.

[Slash McBurn]

Earn first or accept second.

Spoken like a true prodigy.

[percy]

I liked the part Channel 9 showed after the race when the Australians were hugging each other and Tamsyn went to hug Jana, but Jana turned and hugged one of the English runners leaving Tamsyn to hug no one.

[Punk in Drublic]

That's a disgrace.

They may hold the view that "winning means everything", but everyone knows that they didn't really win, and their gold medal is basically worthless.


For shame. :meh:

[JustinJ]

I liked the part Channel 9 showed after the race when the Australians were hugging each other and Tamsyn went to hug Jana, but Jana turned and hugged one of the English runners leaving Tamsyn to hug no one.

:lol:

[THEHEATH]

Bullshit, the rules are the rules. They were sent out in the right order and the f00l fucked it up. The English only have themselves to blame. If they had changed batons after the line then someone would have been disqualified and nobody would say anything, just that the runner made an error. They are meant to be elite athletes, it's not your local little athletics track.

[THEHEATH]

I liked the part Channel 9 showed after the race when the Australians were hugging each other and Tamsyn went to hug Jana, but Jana turned and hugged one of the English runners leaving Tamsyn to hug no one.They also showed footage of where Jana went to hug Tasmyn but Jana had already turned away. They then also showed footage around the time of the medal ceremony and they did hug.

[Kyza]

Bullshit, the rules are the rules. They were sent out in the right order and the f00l fucked it up. The English only have themselves to blame. If they had changed batons after the line then someone would have been disqualified and nobody would say anything, just that the runner made an error. They are meant to be elite athletes, it's not your local little athletics track.


:thumb:

[dAvoZ]

If you are going to win, do it within the rules. The English did not earn first, they were disqualified. Tough shit. Tamsyn was well within her rights to complain. How did she bring sportsmanship into disrepute by complaining about the opposition not fulfilling their obligations on the track?

[NIK-O-LAKI]

damoz is right but seriously change your avatar. :P

[Slash McBurn]

If you are going to win, do it within the rules. The English did not earn first, they were disqualified. Tough shit. Tamsyn was well within her rights to complain. How did she bring sportsmanship into disrepute by complaining about the opposition not fulfilling their obligations on the track?

It's the intent of the rule that's important, not its mere existence. Of course she was within her rights and the officials were correct in their ruling. But for me, she should have asked herself the question: would we have won had they lined up correctly? The answer is clearly they would not have and the better team lost. I just don't agree with applying the letter of the law in sport - there is always room for descretion and clearly this was an example where it could have been applied by Ms Lewis. For some things are black and white, I just don't see it that way.

[dAvoZ]

damoz is right but seriously change your avatar. :PBlasphemy! :lol:

[Alistair]

Bullshit, the rules are the rules. They were sent out in the right order and the f00l fucked it up. The English only have themselves to blame. If they had changed batons after the line then someone would have been disqualified and nobody would say anything, just that the runner made an error. They are meant to be elite athletes, it's not your local little athletics track.


Now im not quite sure of it... but diddnt the womens swimming world record breaking relay team also break a minor technicallity by getting out of the pool before the last competitor had finished... breaking one of the rules? There would have been pandamonium had they been disqualified for that...

[antis]

even though technically the English didnt win, they were still the better runners

[soulshine]

i hate yanna pitman. such a fucken drama queen. little brace faced bitch

[MadOogles]

^^^

Jaded Irish clubber coming down badly?

:P

[pmack]

while i hate it when people are disqualified over a minor technicality, i don't exactly agree here.
The english made a stupid mistake and have nobody to blame but themselves.
They would have bitched about it too if we were the ones in their position. I mean they are poms

[THEHEATH]

i hate yanna pitman. such a fucken drama queen. little brace faced bitchHow is she a bitch? What's the drama? There was a bit of drama in the whole will she/won't she run thing after her operation, but in her defence at that stage she most likely had a camera shoved in her face as the media tried to create a story for people to follow. Had she gone on to win, you wouldn't have heard a bad thing.

The only other thing that I could attribute to her is pulling out of one of the events earlier to concentrate on of her other event, but hell, she's not the first and won't be the last athlete to do that. Tasmyn (more or less) called Jana a bitch for saying what was probably true (there wasn't much competition for her in one of the races) and the media latched onto it and created the "drama queen" tag, which most muppets seem to have swallowed and so Jana got attached with the blame.

[THEHEATH]

Now im not quite sure of it... but diddnt the womens swimming world record breaking relay team also break a minor technicallity by getting out of the pool before the last competitor had finished... breaking one of the rules? There would have been pandamonium had they been disqualified for that...I don't know but there was an Australian relay team (womens I think) that got disqualified (the exact event escapes me, it was either the Olympics or World Championships) for jumping into the pool before the last competitor had finished the race. That cost them the gold. You live and learn.

[soulshine]

How is she a bitch? What's the drama? There was a bit of drama in the whole will she/won't she run thing after her operation, but in her defence at that stage she most likely had a camera shoved in her face as the media tried to create a story for people to follow. Had she gone on to win, you wouldn't have heard a bad thing.

The only other thing that I could attribute to her is pulling out of one of the events earlier to concentrate on of her other event, but hell, she's not the first and won't be the last athlete to do that. Tasmyn (more or less) called Jana a bitch for saying what was probably true (there wasn't much competition for her in one of the races) and the media latched onto it and created the "drama queen" tag, which most muppets seem to have swallowed and so Jana got attached with the blame.

I havent followed her lustrious career. I take people on tv at face value cause Im shallow like that. She just looks like a bitch, and is brace faced. I hate her. I hated her even before she was born. It was destiny

[smooch]

Love your refreshing honesty Soulshine!

[pinkpanther1586]

shirvo + tamsyn are the biggest duds ever to come out of australia, have achieved absolutely nothing but still get massive media attention.

[THEHEATH]

I like the way tasmyn even managed to fit in an excuse for her poor performance the other day in her speech after the relay.

[dotDNA]

Bullshit, the rules are the rules.

Yes, you are quite within the rules to underarm bowl, bitch, moan, sledge, 'pull a hopoate' and/or root your teammates wife.


BUT, your stupid little rules have no bearing in any way on whether the country decides you are syphillis ridden, chicken felching, horse-cock gobbling asshole or not. If you behave like a piece of poo, then we will judge you as we like.

[Geezah]

Is sport about the rules, or about playing to the spirit of them.

I'm with Slash McBurn, N4TE and others here, it sounds pathetically disgusting. It's not unAustralian though, because that term has no essence - you is either Australian or you are not, just like "you eever smoke, or you get smoked, and you, you got smoked [in reference to the Australian's Womens four'b'four]."

[Miaow Mix]

Apparently Jana was booed by the crowd at the Last Lap the other night.

She must be one of them tall poppies or summink. Yeh, that'd be it.

[Spitchen]

But for me, she should have asked herself the question: would we have won had they lined up correctly? The answer is clearly they would not have and the better team lost.And this is what I thought the avenue of protest in sport was about. Sure, if what the English did in lining up incorrectly improved their position in a way that led them to gain first spot over Australia then fair enough for the Aussie girls to protest, but its pretty obvious that this wasn't the case.

Anyway, its only the Commonwealth Games fer fooks sake, no need to get our kickers in a twist over a race that if held at the Olympics we'd struggle to even make the semi-finals.

[Kooky]

Good onya Tamsyn
Gold Gold Gold thats whats its about , Yeh Aussie aussie aussie,
Technically you are the best in the commonwealth
Your ace
You knew you were always the best and know one else knew it
You looked so hot in gold
Your the true winner
Aussie aussie aussie
OIIII
OIIII
OIIII

Gold is now my favourite colour
You make Aussies proud

Sponsors, Rove get this girl to sponsor your products she is a true Aussie battler
GOLD FOREVER & only GOLD

No one gives a shit about 2nd
haha , the rest are all losers

[NIK-O-LAKI]

Lay off the crackpipe kooky.

[Xpose]

Yeah i'd definitely fuck Tamsyn before i would Jana.

[Fabmacca]

Apparently Jana was booed by the crowd at the Last Lap the other night.

She must be one of them tall poppies or summink. Yeh, that'd be it.

No, she isn't a "tall poppy" - she is just not a very likeable person. She is in fine company with the likes of Lleyton Hewitt, Anthony Mundine etc al. Great sportspeople who happen to be dickheads.

We have many acomplished sportspeople who we universally love eg Ian Thorpe, Pat Rafter, Don Bradman etc. Mainly because of the quality of their character as well as the quality of their acomplishments. Tall poppy syndrome is a myth.

[Xpose]

Hewitt cops a bum rap, he is acually a really generous guy doing a lot of shi behind the scenes.

[legal-affairs]

Hewitt cops a bum rap, he is acually a really generous guy doing a lot of shi behind the scenes.
What, like generously donating a whole drawer full of cutlery for Paul McNamee's back?

[Xpose]

What, like generously donating a whole drawer full of cutlery for Paul McNamee's back?
: sigh : no.

[Fabmacca]

Hewitt cops a bum rap, he is acually a really generous guy doing a lot of shi behind the scenes.

They say the same about Anthony Mundine too - regardless they are both still dickheads

[john e depth]

i hate yanna pitman. such a fucken drama queen. little brace faced bitch

And when she talks its like listening to a 12yr old nerd talk about his dinosaur project he stayed up all night finishing.

STFU!! X(

[didjeridude]

If you are going to win, do it within the rules. The English did not earn first, they were disqualified. Tough shit. Tamsyn was well within her rights to complain. How did she bring sportsmanship into disrepute by complaining about the opposition not fulfilling their obligations on the track?Because Tamsyn clearly was not impeded during the race. The rule exists to prevent this from happening. It didn't happen, so why should England be DQ'ed?

Asafa Powell broke the same rule in the semis of the 100m but he was not DQ'ed because he did not impede the other runner.

It's exactly the same situation. So what this illustrates is that while rules may be rules, they are not black and white rules. There is a degree of leeway that takes into account whether or not "the infringement" would have made a difference to the final outcome of the race. In this case, it would not have, and therefore, Tamsyn Lewis has not displayed good sportsmanship by making a protest. She should accept that they were beaten fair and square.

[Xpose]

They say the same about Anthony Mundine too - regardless they are both still dickheads
I dunno know about mundine but i wish hewitt would get his under siege attitude back, he thrives on that shit, hence him losing all the time now.

But imo he is only all over every womens mag because they salivate over the sales he brings. He has done a lot of shit with cancer kids off his own back.

[lairymarc]

Another case of bad work from the umpires also. Unfortunately the country is so hell bent on gold fever at the moment that it cant see past the shiny stuff. Im glad to see the back of all this chest thumping bullshit, its like being in the bleedin U.S ffs, come back to earth Australia its starting to get a bit sad.
Something else I saw the other day which may not be all fair in love and war.
In one of the mens Badminton games, NZ were 19 all in the last with the aussie pair, both sides were really going at it, something got said between players and the umpire gave a red card to NZ and awarded a point and serve to the aussies, they then won the next point and took the match. I dont know much about the rule involved, but the commentators both seemed suprised that a yellow was not awarded first.
Dodgy.

[Spitchen]

Unfortunately the country is so hell bent on gold fever at the moment that it cant see past the shiny stuff.

I think the track great Michael Johnson puts it all into perspective really:

"Too many people try to put these championships on a par with the world championships or the Olympics but they are not - never have been, never will be."

[Slash McBurn]

Dodgy.

The whole Commonwealth Games is dodgy.

Vote 1 Republic, disengage from the Commonwealth and start up an Oceania Games to really beef up our medal count.

[lairymarc]

I think the track great Michael Johnson puts it all into perspective really:

"Too many people try to put these championships on a par with the world championships or the Olympics but they are not - never have been, never will be."

Michael Johnson, now there was an athlete and a champion.

[twistedbydesign]

It's the intent of the rule that's important, not its mere existence.

the womens swimming world record breaking relay team also break a minor technicallity by getting out of the pool before the last competitor had finished... breaking one of the rules? There would have been pandamonium had they been disqualified for that...

QFT

[dAvoZ]

Because Tamsyn clearly was not impeded during the race. The rule exists to prevent this from happening. It didn't happen, so why should England be DQ'ed?

Asafa Powell broke the same rule in the semis of the 100m but he was not DQ'ed because he did not impede the other runner.

It's exactly the same situation. So what this illustrates is that while rules may be rules, they are not black and white rules. There is a degree of leeway that takes into account whether or not "the infringement" would have made a difference to the final outcome of the race. In this case, it would not have, and therefore, Tamsyn Lewis has not displayed good sportsmanship by making a protest. She should accept that they were beaten fair and square.Your gripe should be with the track judges then. Tamsyn made a complaint and then the judges need to determine whether there was impedence or not. It is a similar situation to Asafa Powell, but with a different outcome. The judges made the decision, not Tamsyn.

[didjeridude]

I think the track great Michael Johnson puts it all into perspective really:

"Too many people try to put these championships on a par with the world championships or the Olympics but they are not - never have been, never will be."The average standard of athletics competition in the Comm Games is probably on par with an IAAF grand prix series meet, which is below the super grand prix, which is below the golden league, which is below a grand prix final, which is below the world champs, which is below the olympic games.

[twistedbydesign]

Tamsyn made the decision to lodge the complaint knowing full well their actions had no bearing on the result.

[MattD]

I think the track great Michael Johnson puts it all into perspective really:

"Too many people try to put these championships on a par with the world championships or the Olympics but they are not - never have been, never will be."

he's been commentating with the BBC coverage, and after the mens/womens relay fiasco has had a few choice words to say

been great watching it with his commentary

Matt D

[didjeridude]

Your gripe should be with the track judges then. Tamsyn made a complaint and then the judges need to determine whether there was impedence or not. It is a similar situation to Asafa Powell, but with a different outcome. The judges made the decision, not Tamsyn.True, I think the judges should have dismissed the protest, but without a protest in the first place there would be nothing to dismiss. Nobody made a protest in the Asafa Powell case.

It also happened to Ben Kersten in the keiren. Shane Kelly made a protest and that cost Ben Kersten a silver medal, but Shane Kelly was spat out the back with no chance anyway. What was the point then of making the protest?

It doesn't actually achieve anything positive because everyone knows that England won convincingly. If the race were close it would be a different story, I would definately support the call to make a protest, but in this case it just makes them look like sore losers.

[THEHEATH]

True, I think the judges should have dismissed the protest, but without a protest in the first place there would be nothing to dismiss. Nobody made a protest in the Asafa Powell case.
Doesn't this comment contradict itself? Who's to say that the judges wouldn't have picked up on in it (or the judge at the line wouldn't have reported it?).

[Xpose]

is it wrong i find it amusing that Jana was booed of stage at the Prince after games party :?

[didjeridude]

Doesn't this comment contradict itself? Who's to say that the judges wouldn't have picked up on in it (or the judge at the line wouldn't have reported it?).Actually I'm not sure if the judges can or cannot dismiss a protest when a rule has been broken. However, someone has to make a protest for the rule to be upheld (ie: it makes no difference if the judges see a technical infringement, if there is no protest). In the Asafa Powell race, had the runner, in whose lane Powell crossed into, made a protest, there is a good chance Powell would have been DQ'ed according to the rules. But he didn't make a protest presumably because he realised that this act would be unsportsmanlike as he had no chance of winning anyway, and it didn't affect the outcome of the race.

Tamsyn Lewis simply stated that the English runner broke a rule. Did she ever explicitly state anywhere that she was impeded and this could have cost Australia the race? I think not.

[dart]

this "victory" was just another horrible aussie sporting achievement. surely there's better things the gov't could be spending their money on.


i'm so glad that the australian games are over.

[THEHEATH]

Ah, my stuff up, I thought Powell had been disqualified.

[SKYCRUISER]

is it wrong i find it amusing that Jana was booed of stage at the Prince after games party :?i suppose you find it amusing that some of the Aussie athletes may have had there drinks spiked at the Last Lap night club too...

[dart]

Tamsyn Lewis simply stated that the English runner broke a rule. Did she ever explicitly state anywhere that she was impeded and this could have cost Australia the race? I think not.

she knew what she was doing in mentioning/highlighting/drawing attention to the mistake.

you'd be a fool to think otherwise.

[dart]

i suppose you find it amusing that some of the Aussie athletes had there drinks spiked at the Last Lap night club too...

had their drinks spiked or can't handle their booze?

[FunkingTrance]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/4844148.stm

Jana Pittman is being reported on the BBC website as saying that England really won the gold medal.



Danvers-Smith said: "I can't believe it. One of the judges says I obstructed Tamsyn but as far as I'm concerned nothing has happened. This is news to me. What is Tamsyn saying, that she was supposed to take the baton ahead of me?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif






"As far as I'm concerned, England are the 4x400m Commonwealth Games champions."

And she was backed up by Australian Jana Pittman - who ran the first leg and famously had a bitter public row with Lewis before the Games.

She said: "As far as we are concerned they won the gold medal. They set the fastest time of the day and England are the winners of the race."

Brad McStravick, performance director of Team England, implied Australia's protest was against the spirit of the rules. "The rules are the rules," he said. "It's up to another country if they want to apply them and Australia have decided to do that. We have fallen prey to that and it's very disappointing.

[dart]

^^ totally.

[Xpose]

i suppose you find it amusing that some of the Aussie athletes may have had there drinks spiked at the Last Lap night club too...
If it was Jana, yes, yes i would.

[lairymarc]

she knew what she was doing in mentioning/highlighting/drawing attention to the mistake.

you'd be a fool to think otherwise.

Totally, Lewis is not solely to blame though, she has just worked the system in her favour, the double standards shown by the administrators on the swimming are as much to blame. The hometown advantage has been exploited all over the place.
Paul Kent has echoed as much in todays smellagraph, Australias reputation as being generally unsporting has only been enhanced with all this. It has been refreshing however to see the media not help push the whole thing in the other direction for once. I guess with such a glaring case of double standards only the most one eyed of commentator could see this any other way.

[Xpose]

Forget about all that lowering our standards they had CASEY DONOVAN in the closing ceremony FFS.

[didjeridude]

she knew what she was doing in mentioning/highlighting/drawing attention to the mistake.

you'd be a fool to think otherwise.Thanks captain obvious.

My point however, was the same as Brad McStravick's.... "The rules are the rules," he said. "It's up to another country if they want to apply them and Australia have decided to do that. We have fallen prey to that and it's very disappointing."

[lairymarc]

Thanks captain obvious.

My point however, was the same as Brad McStravick's.... "The rules are the rules," he said. "It's up to another country if they want to apply them and Australia have decided to do that. We have fallen prey to that and it's very disappointing."


The England relay team could have done the same thing re the swimming and didn't. The aussies won it fair and square and they knew that. To put in a complaint would have been terribly unsporting, shame team aussie aussie aussie dont have the same moral standards on the track.

Must be Magpie season early or something. To much shiny stuff has made the birds go mad!

[dart]

^^ :concur:

australia no longer "sports mad" now "sports stupid"

[N4TE]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/4844148.stm

Brad McStravick, performance director of Team England, implied Australia's protest was against the spirit of the rules. "The rules are the rules," he said. "It's up to another country if they want to apply them and Australia have decided to do that. We have fallen prey to that and it's very disappointing.


That's right, Jana, drag the whole country down with your petty little grab at glory you don't deserve, can't acheive and couldn't repeat on a bet. Way to suck more than a second place getter who can handle the fact someone's better than they are.

Wanna impress me? Get your arse on a plane, get to Innisfail and join the real champions.

[THEHEATH]

Actually, if you look at that photo in N4tes link Australia was put at a disadvantage. At some stage the Australian runner is going to have to stray from her line to get to where Tasmyn is as a result of the English runner fucking up and that's going to cost you distance and therefore time. GOLD TO AUSTRALIA.

[N4TE]

please refer to my post on the first page, didn't see it, don't give a fuck about it, agree with the thread starter on principal. then take a look at where "nate's link" is in my post. that's right, in a quote from someone else's post. who's link?

[Slash McBurn]

Actually, if you look at that photo in N4tes link Australia was put at a disadvantage. At some stage the Australian runner is going to have to stray from her line to get to where Tasmyn is as a result of the English runner fucking up and that's going to cost you distance and therefore time. GOLD TO AUSTRALIA.

And the result would have been ... exactly the same.

Remind me to never DJ at a party where THEHEATH is present - he'll have me because my gain was up but channel volume was down, yet the get up kept on keeping on!

Done with this thread. L8R

[THEHEATH]

SORRY FUNKINGTRANCES LINK: CRISIS AVERTED.

[N4TE]

phew that was close.

[Xpose]

It's lucky large font averts many a crisis.

[Kooky]

Wanna impress me? Get your arse on a plane, get to Innisfail and join the real champions.


Hey n4te what you doing on the Internet when you could be in Inisfail with Yana. Dont you live near there

[Nardo]

i have nothing to say other than I too hate Jana

[THEHEATH]

Can't we all hate the swimmer that got her drink spiked now? Little drama queen could have quietly alerted police and called her little ambulance, but noooooooo let's alert the media. Comon, hate her, HATE HERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

[dotDNA]

Yeh, ok, good call.

Why go to the police when they don't pay you $10,000 for your bullshit little story.

Her story reeks of 'Dad busted me off my chops and I had to think up some bullshit to get him off my case. The fact I made some cash off it too just makes me clever according to the Libs, so sucked in losers.'

[THEHEATH]

Especially now she's withdrawn her complaint.

[Slash McBurn]

I had emailed Athletics Australia like a true net bitch prior to posting my thoughts on this matter. They replied. Here is the correspondence!

26/3/06
Dear Mr Corcoran and Team,

Whilst I'm sure the situation was completely out of your control I wanted to voice my disgust at the protest lead by Tamsyn Lewis against the English 4x400 relay team. The English team completely won comprehensively and for Ms Lewis to lodge a protest when she knows full well that she was not impeded in any way goes right against the spirit of sportmanship and indeed the very nature of these often tagged Friendly Games. The "rules are the rules" line that Ms Lewis proclaimed just underscores her perceived spitefulness and poor judgment. And it further highlights the shortcomings of the "winning means everything" mentality so often pushed by coaches, managers and the sporting fraternity.

The right thing for Ms Lewis to do was to quietly look at the footage to ensure that she and her team members had not been disadvantaged and that the race outcome would not have been different had the English team stuck to their lane. By nature, the 4x400 often entails a bit of argy bargy at the baton change and this rule is a safeguard against that rather than a rule to used on technical grounds to disqualify winners.

In sport many players are selected or not selected on character flaws and bad behaviour over and above their sporting ability. Surely Ms Lewis should be seen by Athletics Australia to be an unfit role model (what sort of precedent is she setting?) and as such one would expect reprimands for a gold medal not earned but wrenched. Ms Lewis' behaviour was un-Australian to say the very least and completely against the spirit of the games.

Best regards,
Slash McBurn


27/3/06
Hi Slash

Thank you for your email.

We share your disappointment in the conclusion of the women’s 4x400m relay on Saturday night. The England team ran a great race, were clearly the best team and would have been deserving champions.

However it is also clear that their runner made an error when lining up for the changeover and we have confirmed that this error was noted by the track referee and the England team would have been disqualified irrespective of any protest lodged by the Australian team.

Perhaps the rule in question, which is designed to avoid a fight for positions at the changeover, should be reviewed, with some element of discretion allowed by the referee. This is a matter that our technical and officials committee will discuss, however ultimately any rule change would rest with our international federation, the IAAF.

Again, thank you for you email and hope the above assists clarify the decision made.

Kind regards
Tania Poletti
Media & Communications Officer
Athletics Australia

[Davomaxi]

:LOL: at the harshness of this thread

[Miaow Mix]

No, she isn't a "tall poppy" - she is just not a very likeable person. She is in fine company with the likes of Lleyton Hewitt, Anthony Mundine etc al. Great sportspeople who happen to be dickheads.

We have many acomplished sportspeople who we universally love eg Ian Thorpe, Pat Rafter, Don Bradman etc. Mainly because of the quality of their character as well as the quality of their acomplishments. Tall poppy syndrome is a myth.I agree 100%, my earlier post was saracastic.

People who claim they're tall poppies are just cry babies who can't hack it.

[lairymarc]

I had emailed Athletics Australia like a true net bitch prior to posting my thoughts on this matter. They replied. Here is the correspondence!

26/3/06
Dear Mr Corcoran and Team,

Whilst I'm sure the situation was completely out of your control I wanted to voice my disgust at the protest lead by Tamsyn Lewis against the English 4x400 relay team. The English team completely won comprehensively and for Ms Lewis to lodge a protest when she knows full well that she was not impeded in any way goes right against the spirit of sportmanship and indeed the very nature of these often tagged Friendly Games. The "rules are the rules" line that Ms Lewis proclaimed just underscores her perceived spitefulness and poor judgment. And it further highlights the shortcomings of the "winning means everything" mentality so often pushed by coaches, managers and the sporting fraternity.

The right thing for Ms Lewis to do was to quietly look at the footage to ensure that she and her team members had not been disadvantaged and that the race outcome would not have been different had the English team stuck to their lane. By nature, the 4x400 often entails a bit of argy bargy at the baton change and this rule is a safeguard against that rather than a rule to used on technical grounds to disqualify winners.

In sport many players are selected or not selected on character flaws and bad behaviour over and above their sporting ability. Surely Ms Lewis should be seen by Athletics Australia to be an unfit role model (what sort of precedent is she setting?) and as such one would expect reprimands for a gold medal not earned but wrenched. Ms Lewis' behaviour was un-Australian to say the very least and completely against the spirit of the games.

Best regards,
Slash McBurn


27/3/06
Hi Slash

Thank you for your email.

We share your disappointment in the conclusion of the women’s 4x400m relay on Saturday night. The England team ran a great race, were clearly the best team and would have been deserving champions.

However it is also clear that their runner made an error when lining up for the changeover and we have confirmed that this error was noted by the track referee and the England team would have been disqualified irrespective of any protest lodged by the Australian team.

Perhaps the rule in question, which is designed to avoid a fight for positions at the changeover, should be reviewed, with some element of discretion allowed by the referee. This is a matter that our technical and officials committee will discuss, however ultimately any rule change would rest with our international federation, the IAAF.

Again, thank you for you email and hope the above assists clarify the decision made.

Kind regards
Tania Poletti
Media & Communications Officer
Athletics Australia


Typical civil servant response eh?

Nice letter though mate, I think its important that Athletics Australia and the athletes involved are made aware that large sections of the nation are not proud or comfortable with that certain Gold Medal.
Play nice or dont play at all

[dart]

huzzah for slash mcburn. top letter.

[N4TE]

Hey n4te what you doing on the Internet when you could be in Inisfail with Yana. Dont you live near there

:slap:

taking a day off I was told to take. fuckwad.

[nicko]

And when she talks its like listening to a 12yr old nerd talk about his dinosaur project he stayed up all night finishing.

STFU!! X(:lol:

[Xpose]

I can't believe they answered a letter from somebody called "slash mcburn" seriously.

[spiKe]

haha top letter

I don't get the whole jana pittman hating thing. True she carries on a bit, but she is pretty much our only world class athlete. Where as the only talent tamsyn lewis has ever showed was her breasts in FHM or something.

[N4TE]

pics or you know the drill

[onRi]

Where as the only talent tamsyn lewis has ever showed was her breasts in FHM or something.
:lol:

[Buey]

The England relay team could have done the same thing re the swimming and didn't. The aussies won it fair and square and they knew that. To put in a complaint would have been terribly unsporting, shame team aussie aussie aussie dont have the same moral standards on the track.

Must be Magpie season early or something. To much shiny stuff has made the birds go mad!

Im not sure if this has been mentioned... but what about the English led protest in the manchester games (I THINK.. may have been the world champs in fukuoka) in 2002 with the womens swimming 4 x 100 relay. Exactly the same circumstances, the girls jumping in the pool did not affect the outcome of the race whatsoever. But the english protested and we were disqualified.

Officials say the english running team would have been disqualified regardless of Tamsyns dispute. I agree, it wasnt good sportsmanship to lodge a complaint. But at the end of the day rules are rules. I didn't see the jamaicans complaining when they were clearly going to win but dropped the batton. You cant bend and change rules whenever you feel like it.

Sporting history is full of 'unfair' results due to strict adherence to the rules. England have no one to blame but themselves.

[Lambretta]

Bullshit, the rules are the rules. They were sent out in the right order and the f00l fucked it up. The English only have themselves to blame. If they had changed batons after the line then someone would have been disqualified and nobody would say anything, just that the runner made an error. They are meant to be elite athletes, it's not your local little athletics track.
Lewis had plenty of time to say to the English girl, I'm sorry, we're lining up in the wrong places and then ran the correct race.

However, she kept her gob shut only to open it whinge like after she'd had her sorry fucking untalented arse kicked all over the track.

Fucking moosey faced muppet.

If thats the game she wants to play, fuck her. She'll be the one who knows she was given a gold for being an unsporting cow and it devalues the efforts put in by the others in the team.

Lewis is a cow and can get fucked.

[MuntedRaver]

[QUOTE=Lambretta]Lewis had plenty of time to say to the English girl, I'm sorry, we're lining up in the wrong places and then ran the correct race.
[QUOTE]

Thats complete bullshit.....we look after our race and they look after theres...... we have no obligation to tell the English what they are doing wrong, they are supposed to be world class athletes....

....and by the way....with Jana as team captain she told Lewis to lead the protest as the infringment was on her baton change.

[Buey]

[QUOTE=Lambretta]Lewis had plenty of time to say to the English girl, I'm sorry, we're lining up in the wrong places and then ran the correct race.
[QUOTE]

Thats complete bullshit.....we look after our race and they look after theres...... we have no obligation to tell the English what they are doing wrong, they are supposed to be world class athletes....

....and by the way....with Jana as team captain she told Lewis to lead the protest as the infringment was on her baton change.

I agree.

They are professional athletes. It is the same with every single sport.

If a golfer accidentally nudges his ball while clearing some leaves or sticks from the area around his ball... 2 stroke penalty even if the ball doesnt move forward.

[Pancho]

im just sick of hearing about jana pittman and tamsyn lewis..

wish they would both fuck off.