Heartbreak for 14 athletes

Wesley Bo on

Fourteen athletes were left stranded yesterday when Athletics South Africa (ASA) announced its final team for the IAAF World Championships in London next week.

Three individuals were added to the squad after ASA received quota invitations from the International Association of Athletics Federations, in order to fill the lanes in the heats of various events.

Sprinter Justine Palframan (above, 200m) and middle-distance star Gena Lofstrand (800m) were added to the final 26-member team. Another sprinter, Ariane Nel, also cracked the nod after the national federation was invited to send a women’s 4x400m relay team, also based on quotas.

The appeals filed by the other 14 athletes who met the IAAF qualifying standards, but not the more stringent ASA criteria, were all turned down by the national body. This despite the IAAF confirming it would cover all costs of the athletes who had qualified.

“The motivation made by some of our members that all athletes that qualified according to the IAAF standards should be selected for South Africa are not relevant in this case, as ASA followed its published selection criteria, and not the entry standards of the IAAF,” ASA told its members.

The only other change to the initial team was made on Monday after the IAAF told ASA that discus thrower Victor Hogan had not met the international criteria and could not compete. Hogan was scratched from the squad.

Meanwhile, the national federation revealed that Olympic two-lap champion Caster Semenya had been entered in both the 800m and 1 500m events for the biennial showpiece, though it remained unclear whether she would attempt the double, with athletes given the option to withdraw from additional disciplines.

Semenya and hurdler Wenda Nel, already in the team for her specialist event, were also added to the 4x400m relay squad.