?Completely Cheated?: British Athletes Express Frustration Over World Championship?Selection

UK Athletics finds itself in the midst of another controversy. British athletes expressed their disappointment and gross disgust with the organization’s latest decision.

The national sporting body upheld strict qualification standards and didn’t send athletes to the World Athletics Championship.

British athletes left in the dark

The World Athletics Championship 2023 is all set to take place in Budapest later this month. As per the traditions, World Athletics sends out invitations to all athletes within the top 50 for their respective track and field events. They send invitations to athletes even if they didn’t meet the qualification standards. Because merely being placed in the top 50 is enough.

However, the English sporting community experienced a state of shock. UK Athletics, without any prior communication with the athletes, rejected the invitations. They reasoned that the rejection stemmed from their new and aggressive policy to create a fairer system of participation in such world events.

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A total of 19 British athletes cannot participate and compete in the championship even after meeting the qualification requirements based on the ranking system. The national body, in an essence, has overpowered the World Athletics organization and taken matter into its own hands.

Athletes voice their displeasure

Several noted athletes voiced their concerns and disappointment with the body’s unanimous and careless decision. Expressing her anger on social media, UK’s No 2-ranked 400 meters hurdler, Lina Nielsen, had much to say.

“I feel completely cheated,”?she wrote on Instagram. “Ranked in the top 40 in the world, I will be invited to compete at the World Championships by World Athletics. Unfortunately, our governing body will decline that invite on behalf of the athletes. I was only 0.06s away from their qualifying standard. To know that I?m deemed good enough to go to the world champs, but that my federation will say no is world-shattering.”

Nielsen holds the 27th rank in her event making her an automatic participant for the event. Nevertheless, the UK Athletics rigidness will cost her a potential medal. Other notable athletes that will miss out on a chance for glory are hurdler Joshua Zeller, heptathlete Jade O?Dowda and discus thrower Jade Lally.

UK Athletics changed in policy on participation and qualification three years ago to make the entire process fairer, transparent, and equitable. World Athletics took a different stance as they made qualification a much easier process. They made it a seamless experience by providing athletes with the opportunity to compete and defend their titles.

The ruthless and aggressive approach UK Athletics has adopted certainly leaves a lot to desire. Deserving and talented athletes will miss out on the opportunity to compete against the best in the world. Their practice, hard work, and efforts all go in vain.

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