UK Athletics' selection policy articulates its primary goal for the World Championships is to "optimize medal success and the number of top-eight placings".
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British athletes are showing their anger towards UK Athletics, the national federation, stating that their opportunities to compete at the World Championships next month are being unjustly stripped away by the organization. UK Athletics, the governing body for the sport of athletics in the UK, is reportedly preparing to reject their qualifying athletes’ invitations. A minimum of 19 of these athletes who have made the cut via the world rankings system won’t be able to participate in the event.
UK Athletics’ selection policy articulates its primary goal for the World Championships is to “optimize medal success and the number of top-eight placings”. The federation’s CEO, Jack Buckner, earlier this year, expressed his desire for the selection process for global events to be more “ruthless”. The first wave of British athletes chosen for the World Championships is slated to be announced later this week.
Meanwhile, World Athletics is scheduled to issue its world rankings-based invitations early next week. Three years ago, the global governing body revamped its qualification system. The purpose of this reformation was to divide the qualifying athletes equally, with half making the cut through hitting automatic qualification standards and the other half through world rankings. However, UK Athletics appears to have taken a contrasting stance, choosing to decline any invitation for athletes who haven’t met the required standards.
Lina Nielsen, ranked as the second-best 400 meters hurdles in Britain, was disappointed with the decision and stated, “UK Athletics make us feel like the shittest athletes in the world. It feels like they’re robbing us of our opportunity.” Nielsen is part of the group of British athletes due to receive invitations from the World Athletics to compete in the tournament next month in Budapest.
Nielsen, currently standing at 27th in the global ranking, is up for an invite based on her ranking, as there are 40 slots in her event at the Worlds. However, UK Athletics seems prepared to dismiss her invitation because she is 0.06 seconds short of the automatic qualification standard this summer. “I don’t think it should be their decision to make,” Nielsen protested by saying, “It feels like they are stealing it from me. Who do you think you are to decline it on behalf of the athletes?”
Joshua Zeller, who landed fifth place over 110m hurdles at the previous World Championships, also shared his discontent. “The whole system was changed because athletes were meant to be invited based on ranking points – that’s how the system is supposed to go. UK Athletics, however, are just doing their own thing.” British heptathlete Jade O’Dowda and discus thrower Jade Lally, ranked 17th and 19th in the world respectively, are also set to miss out. This will result in their places being offered to lower-ranking competitors.
The shot put athlete, Amelia Strickler, despite being ranked 28th globally, is expected to face rejection from UK Athletics, as she did during the Tokyo Olympics. Strickler, however, expressed her willingness to self-fund her participation in Budapest. “It’s not about the money – it’s about the prestige of the world stage and representing your country,” she asserted.
“It’s the opportunity for me to try to be the best athlete I can be. If I could accept my own invite then I would just get a hotel there and go. I know I’m good enough to be there.” She further stated that she may just look forward to taking legal action. She added, “Lawyers could argue this is a blockage of trade. It’s denying athletes sponsorship, bonuses and opportunities.”
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