I have just been watching the World Athletic Championships from Moscow on TV and need to have a little rant at bumbling officialdom.
I am not sure if this is to the account of the IAAF or to the Russian organisers but the officials at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow have been less than impressive.
- Idiot officials at the winning line who try to shoo away decathlon and heptathlon athletes who have collapsed on the track after completing their grueling final runs in the 1500m and 800m respectively.
- The utter lack of interest from idiot officials who merely watched as an athlete (Diego Ferrin high jump) was writhing in pain from a pulled muscle (hamstring?).
- The apparent lack of medical facilities around the stadium which takes many minutes for assistance to come to injured or physically drained athletes (Hansle Parchment, Diego Ferrin)
- Idiot officials who try to keep winning athletes from celebrating and approaching their supporters.
- Idiot officials who are unable to ensure that the athletes competing in the 20km walk follow the designated route and where the position of the winning line is obscure.
I’m sure many of the officials are just temporary help drafted in off the streets for the championships but they do remind me of the security staff at airports – instructed to follow some rigid protocol and not – in any circumstances – to use their brains or their discretion.
The k2p blog 