We Got Us
The first time I knew something was up was when I got to Shanghai for the Diamond League meeting in 2016.
Next to a sign explaining where the tailor could be located if you had a suit made at the Silk Market was another sign.
This sign said: only 4 jumpers will get their final three jumps.
In nearly every season prior, unless ALL jumpers got 4 jumps, 8-9 jumpers usually made up the final for the last three rounds.
Now, we’re finding out ON SITE that only four will take the final three jumps.
If memory serves, I didn’t make a single diamond league final in the long jump that year.
But I won the Olympics.
On my fifth jump.
One I would not have had the opportunity to take under World Athletic’s rules.
The 2016 Olympic Long Jump final was the most exciting long jump competition ever, not because I was in it, not because I won. But because of the drama of the lead changes, because it came down to the wire.
And people were talking about it.
US.
People were actually talking about the women’s long jump!
So somebody with sense went to the people responsible for the rule change and said, “um…maybe reconsider for the rest of the season? It’s clear that this didn’t work for the long jump”
They said, well it would look bad to change it now sooooo…no.
And so….
As Olympic Champion, I continued to not make the finals at diamond league meetings for the rest of the season too.
I finished the season elated that I had two Olympic Golds, but it was also my worst diamond league showing to date. Having won the diamond league trophy the year before AND the year before that it was drastic what a rule change could do.
And then the Diamond League Finals were changed.
And it appears a large majority of the fans were for it, and the reviews were mixed among the athletes.
Then the time we were allowed on the runway was changed.
Then the world rankings were changed.
Then events were dropped.
And suddenly our premier circuit was starting to feel like it was operating like an insurance company.
How can we get the most people to buy in, and pay out the least?
How can we create a system where the TALENT is actually so dependent on us that we don’t have to pay them.
For example, before the Diamond League Final changed its rules meet directors paid appearance fees to the athletes attending.
Because back then, you didn’t HAVE to go if you didn’t want to. And if you didn’t want to because you were tired, or banged up, or you wanted to be home for your kids’ first day of school- it wasn’t so heavily tied to your potential world ranking.
So meet directors offered appearance fees to incentivize your attendance at the final.
But once World Athletics decided to make the Final more like a Final Exam worth 75% of your grade an athlete could no longer “skip it.”
And because an athlete could no longer skip it.
Meet directors no longer had to offer us anything for our participation.
And I’m not blaming the meet directors here, this is business.
And that’s always been were we tracksters have had the game all wrong.
Collectively, our “heads for business” haven’t been good on our shoulders.
Collectively, we do nothing collectively.
Because for every athlete willing to boycott an event on principle, there’s another athlete that needs the money.
So here we are at a time when we’re struggling even as a society during a viral pandemic to wear masks for the collective good…
Here we are, asking athletes who don’t need the money, and athletes that need every cent to come together for our collective good and say
We
Have
Had
It.
We can no longer accept unilateral decisions made by people who either aren’t far sighted enough to recognize the implications and consequences of those decisions OR are too callous toward us to care.
We can no longer be reactive by doing interviews and tweeting, and writing blog posts AFTER the damage has been done.
You know, kind of like Stormy Daniels not saying anything until AFTER Trump was president. As if ANYONE was going to stand up and say “in hindsight I guess we’ll just have to undo the election…”
Unfortunately for us, we aren’t in “the room where it happens” when it comes to World Athletics and so we have no choice but to be reactive, shout, and make our voices heard.
Not unlike protestors and demonstrators in the streets.
Until now.
So here we are…
The newly formed Athletics Association ready and willing to be PROACTIVE.
And first, I want to acknowledge the ones that came before who have attempted to do the same. This Association stands on those shoulders and thank you for caring about this sport.
And I’m sorry we weren’t ready to heed those early warnings, and that we fell asleep at the wheel. I’m sorry that it took far too long to know, understand, and believe that we would go much farther together.
But we’re here now, and we’ve reached critical mass and so many of us are ready to take action, and hold people in power accountable, and make our voices heard.
We are here now and we are ready to be proactive.
We are ready to advocate for ourselves.
We are ready.
We are the sport.
Blogger’s Note: Click here to read the press release. Visit our website at https://athleticsassociation.org/ sign up for the newsletter (anybody can). The more people in the know the better.
Also, this is a big job but we’re starting with these priorities:
Lobby World Athletics and the Diamond League stakeholders regarding the changes to the Diamond League schedule that were announced for 2020. We will offer suggestions and alternatives that would include all stadium disciplines, and would benefit athletes and fans, as well as the long term interests of this diverse and wonderful sport.
In Tianna’s Words: We’re going to point out that 2020 with all of its challenges is a good time to push the reset button on bad ideas. No hard feelings.
Gain a seat at the table with World Athletics to command real involvement and power when it comes to decision-making in the sport, as we look to amplify the voices of our members and athletes all over the world.
In Tianna’s Words: We’re going to explore how to run for and pursue elected positions within the existing executive structure.
Announce the Athletics Association’s welfare charter, highlighting our commitment to improving the conditions for athletes across a range of issues.
In Tianna’s Words: We are going to make it clear via this charter what is and is not acceptable treatment of athletes in our sport.
Solidify our membership package that will begin in January 2021 and will offer access to courses on issues such as financial literacy and life after Athletics, and also discounts on products.
In Tianna’s Words: being a member has benefits. That membership structure and corresponding benefits will be ready to go January 2021.
Present World Athletics with innovative ideas for the growth of the sport
In Tianna’s Words: Because World Athletics is committed to being innovative. We will ALSO offer up innovative ideas the difference being ours will be ATHLETE-CENTERED.
