[Other Sport] Dina Asher Smith

[hans kraay fan club]

I am astonished at the (lack of) crowds, tbh.

If the entire POINT of a county like Qatar buying such events (and football clubs, etc), is a desperate attempt at buying some cultural legitimacy on the world stage, then surely it playing out in a completely deserted stadium makes that investment completely pointless? People are LAUGHING or shaking their heads. Surely this is the absolute opposite of what they thought they were buying?

If this were China or Russia and they'd bought an event to which the population were entirely apathetic, then the authorities would have filled the stadium with schoolkids or soldiers. Surprised the Qataris haven't done the same (except maybe with migrant workers).

 

[seagull 1979]

I am astonished at the (lack of) crowds, tbh.

If the entire POINT of a county like Qatar buying such events (and football clubs, etc), is a desperate attempt at buying some cultural legitimacy on the world stage, then surely it playing out in a completely deserted stadium makes that investment completely pointless? People are LAUGHING or shaking their heads. Surely this is the absolute opposite of what they thought they were buying?

If this were China or Russia and they'd bought an event to which the population were entirely apathetic, then the authorities would have filled the stadium with schoolkids or soldiers. Surprised the Qataris haven't done the same (except maybe with migrant workers).

I'm not sure there are enough migrant workers still alive to fill the stadium..

If they want corpses however it could probably be filled twice!

 

[Bob!]

I would.

Dafne every time for me.

 

[Easy 10]

Fans attending are apparently told to dress conservatively. Paying to watch scantily-clad female athletes probably goes against their culture.

 

[Triggaaar]

I want to know how those Jamaican pass the drugs tests!

Athletes from all countries cheat, but what helps the Jamaican's avoid getting caught is that their own organisation responsible for catching them, helps them instead. Similar to countries like Russia and China.

 

[Normal Rob]

Given that she has just won a silver medal, this is a pearler of a quote from Denise Lewis...'She wants to be the very best and has achieved that, in my eyes. '

 

[KZNSeagull]

She did extremely well and may win the 200m as the Fraser-Pryce is not competing in that. Ridiculous re the crowds - she could hear Gabby Logan, Denise Lewis and Michael Johnson applauding her as she jogged past and they were miles away from the track! Fraser-Pryce could shave(*) half a second off her time without the half ton of hair on her head, as fetching as it is.

(* shave. Geddit? )

 

[Surf's Up]

 

[Yoda]

The IAAF told BBC Sport that Friday's day-one attendance at the 40,000-capacity Khalifa International Stadium was 11,800 ticket-holders with up to 2,000 guests, while Saturday's crowd was 11,300 plus guests. Sunday's figures were not yet available.

"Ticket-holders" that would doubtless have included all the no-shows in the official pretendance figures. What an utterly miserable event.

Do those ticket holders also include the freebies given to schools etc?

 

[symyjym]

Another empty stadium. Will the locals turn up for the World Cup?

 

[Easy 10]

Do those ticket holders also include the freebies given to schools etc?

Migrant workers from Africa and India have been transported in and given free tickets in order to bolster crowds. But the whole event has clearly been a disaster and a major embarrassment to the IAAF and its sponsors.

Coe should resign over this. He endorsed Doha as the host under the usual vague pretence of "spreading the sport to new territories", but in reality he was quite blatantly chasing the $$$ and taking advantage of all the luxury schmoozing that was carried out by the Qatari's in order to win the bid. Exactly as FIFA did when they awarded them the 2020 World Cup.

Money talks. Thats all that matters to slime like Coe.

 

[maltaseagull]

The IAAF told BBC Sport that Friday's day-one attendance at the 40,000-capacity Khalifa International Stadium was 11,800 ticket-holders with up to 2,000 guests, while Saturday's crowd was 11,300 plus guests. Sunday's figures were not yet available.

"Ticket-holders" that would doubtless have included all the no-shows in the official pretendance figures. What an utterly miserable event.

They are probably making the thousands of foreign workers go there to help swell the crowds!

 

[Yoda]

Migrant workers from Africa and India have been transported in and given free tickets in order to bolster crowds. But the whole event has clearly been a disaster and a major embarrassment to the IAAF and its sponsors.

Coe should resign over this. He endorsed Doha as the host under the usual vague pretence of "spreading the sport to new territories", but in reality he was quite blatantly chasing the $$$ and taking advantage of all the luxury schmoozing that was carried out by the Qatari's in order to win the bid. Exactly as FIFA did when they awarded them the 2020 World Cup.

Money talks. Thats all that matters to slime like Coe.

The bidding was done before Coe took over as IAAF President.

 

[Easy 10]

The bidding was done before Coe took over as IAAF President.

He was still chairman of the British Olympic Association and vice-president of the IAAF, so you don't need to be a rocket scientist to know where his vote will have gone or the influence he will have wielded.

I've had no time for him since he was (at best) asleep at the wheel or at worst wilfully complicit in the huge state-sponsored russian doping scandal, and all the associated kickbacks and corruption that took place under his watch that he claims he had no idea about. The fact that his disgraced predecessor Lamine Diack (who is due to stand trial for money laundering) was described gushingly by Coe as his "spiritual leader" tells you all you need to know about him.

He's a snide tory moneygrabbing greaseball, and he is absolutely full of shit.

 

[blue-shifted]

He was still chairman of the British Olympic Association and vice-president of the IAAF, so you don't need to be a rocket scientist to know where his vote will have gone or the influence he will have wielded.

I've had no time for him since he was (at best) asleep at the wheel or at worst wilfully complicit in the huge state-sponsored russian doping scandal, and all the associated kickbacks and corruption that took place under his watch that he claims he had no idea about. The fact that his disgraced predecessor Lamine Diack (who is due to stand trial for money laundering) was described gushingly by Coe as his "spiritual leader" tells you all you need to know about him.

He's a snide tory moneygrabbing greaseball, and he is absolutely full of shit.

I don’t know if it’s Coe’s fault or not, it’s probably hard for anyone on the outside to make that judgement

What would make me respect Seb Coe and make me think he might be the right person to take athletics forward is if he came out with some honesty. Along the lines of, “this is a massive cock up. We’ll make sure it never happens again”. But we will get the usual corporate, politicians answer.

To be fair the the bloke, it can’t have been easy to oversee a ban on Russia entering a team. Yes they’re bang to rights, but there would be a lot of pressure going the other way.

 

[Bozza]

Migrant workers from Africa and India have been transported in and given free tickets in order to bolster crowds. But the whole event has clearly been a disaster and a major embarrassment to the IAAF and its sponsors.

Coe should resign over this. He endorsed Doha as the host under the usual vague pretence of "spreading the sport to new territories", but in reality he was quite blatantly chasing the $$$ and taking advantage of all the luxury schmoozing that was carried out by the Qatari's in order to win the bid. Exactly as FIFA did when they awarded them the 2020 World Cup.

Money talks. Thats all that matters to slime like Coe.

Caught a little bit earlier on BBC and they said free tickets had been given to lots of kids as a response to the criticism. They then zoomed into a small group sitting amongst a swathe of empty seats and most of the kids were waving posters with this what I think was this exact image on them:

https://www.diwan.gov.qa/-/media/Diwan-Amiri/Images/Qatar-Rulers/FatherAmir.ashx?h=2500&la=en&w=2500

Self-awareness doesn't seem to be a thing in Qatar.

 

[blue-shifted]

This thread has turned into a (very well deserved) slating of the governance of international athletics.

Just to return it to the thread title. Brilliant run Dina. Well done to you. The whole nation (and hopefully the rest of the field) will be behind you in the 200m

 

[Easy 10]

I don’t know if it’s Coe’s fault or not, it’s probably hard for anyone on the outside to make that judgement

What would make me respect Seb Coe and make me think he might be the right person to take athletics forward is if he came out with some honesty. Along the lines of, “this is a massive cock up. We’ll make sure it never happens again”. But we will get the usual corporate, politicians answer.

To be fair the the bloke, it can’t have been easy to oversee a ban on Russia entering a team. Yes they’re bang to rights, but there would be a lot of pressure going the other way.

He has appeared at numerous enquiries and in front of a Commons Select Committee to answer questions about WADA's findings in the Russian doping scandal, as well as allegations of corruption over the Qatar bid for the 2019 World Championships (rumours from several sources of IAAF delegates being called upstairs to a hotel room during the bidding process, and of there being various brown envelopes doing the rounds - literally brown envelopes, seen on the floor). Every step of the way he has pleaded ignorance of what was going on under HIS watch. He is either complicit, or not fit for purpose.

Another interesting one. Eugene, Oregon are hosting the 2021 World Championships - this was awarded to Eugene WITHOUT there even being a bid process. Nike was created in Eugene, its HQ is still there. Guess who had a £100k a year ambassadorial role with Nike when Eugene were awarded those Championships...

 

[Easy 10]

Caught a little bit earlier on BBC and they said free tickets had been given to lots of kids as a response to the criticism. They then zoomed into a small group sitting amongst a swathe of empty seats and most of the kids were waving posters with this what I think was this exact image on them:

https://www.diwan.gov.qa/-/media/Diwan-Amiri/Images/Qatar-Rulers/FatherAmir.ashx?h=2500&la=en&w=2500

Self-awareness doesn't seem to be a thing in Qatar.

Laughable and depressing at the same time.

I do feel for the athletes, as they dedicate their lives to compete at major events like this, so to end up doing it in an empty stadium must be truly galling for them. But part of me is quite glad as well, as this is such a severe embarrassment for the IAAF, and gives stark worldwide exposure to their skewed priorities and naked greed at taking these Championships to a tiny desert state with zero interest in hosting it.

I hope the World Cup plays out to similarly sparse surroundings, but footballs global appeal will probably see respectable crowds, at the big games at least.

 

[blue-shifted]

He has appeared at numerous enquiries and in front of a Commons Select Committee to answer questions about WADA's findings in the Russian doping scandal, as well as allegations of corruption over the Qatar bid for the 2019 World Championships (rumours from several sources of IAAF delegates being called upstairs to a hotel room during the bidding process, and of there being various brown envelopes doing the rounds - literally brown envelopes, seen on the floor). Every step of the way he has pleaded ignorance of what was going on under HIS watch. He is either complicit, or not fit for purpose.

Another interesting one. Eugene, Oregon are hosting the 2021 World Championships - this was awarded to Eugene WITHOUT there even being a bid process. Nike was created in Eugene, its HQ is still there. Guess who had a £100k a year ambassadorial role with Nike when Eugene were awarded those Championships...

Just from memory, the Eugene thing, there were no other interested bidders, am I right? Still a conflict there nonetheless

I’m more inclined to view him as an honest but hapless figurehead, unable to stop a juggernaut of corruption and doping and fight his way of the mire of corporate and national self interest of powerful stakeholders rather than a Blatter / Platini blatantly on the take type

I’ll defend the bloke no further. Time for someone else to have a turn. As with all sports, the best administrator would probably be someone who has never contemplated becoming an administrator.