An interesting turn at the on-going world athletics meet in London has affected the chances of Botswana and possibly the image and record of Isaac Makwala. Would an illness be sufficient to disqualify an athlete from participating in a competition if and when he/she hasn’t complained and/or be tested to confirm a risk of participation?
The incident of the norovirus bug which was reported to have affected thirty other athletes at a hotel in London where the athletes are accommodated can be attributed to whose negligence? While the central issue here is the denial of participating, no report has been tendered to state clearly that anything negative could have occurred to an athlete who competed in this context and without medical examination before pronouncement as reports say. It is a situation that will test rules and guidelines of the international athletic federation.
This is the test case of the Botswanan athlete who was barred from running at the World Championships as organisers tried to halt a norovirus outbreak but says the same would not have happened to Mo Farah or Usain Bolt.
Isaac Makwala told BBC Sport his “heart was breaking” after being denied entry to Tuesday’s 400m final in London.
The 30-year-old, who was withdrawn by organisers the IAAF “due to a medical condition”, questioned how officials could know he was ill, without tests. He said he felt he was “sabotaged”.
Tuesday’s race was won by Olympic champion and world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk, who – in the week eight-time Olympic sprint champion Bolt retires – has been described as the “new superstar of athletics”.
“There is something fishy they do not want to tell us,” said Makwala. “It is not that I was sick, there is something more to it.
“How can they just look at you and see you are sick? If they had tested me I would not have that problem, but they just assumed.
“Usain Bolt is out now so the IAAF wants someone to be the face of athletics.” In response, athletics’ governing body told BBC Sport: “There is nothing we want more than extraordinary competition in these championships.
“We freed up the competition schedule to allow this to happen, specifically between these two athletes by allowing the opportunity to double up at 200m and 400m.” Van Niekerk’s winning time was 43.98 seconds.
At a Diamond League meeting in Monaco in July, Makwala ran 43.84, but still finished behind the South African (43.73).
“After I saw him cross the line on Tuesday I was like, this was my time. He ran a normal time. I was on shape for a faster time,” Makwala said.
“The British would never have allowed it if I was Mo Farah or Wayne Rooney. “In Botswana we have to pay to train, this is not like Britain. I feel this has been a waste of money and training.” Briton Farah won his third consecutive gold World Championship 10,000m gold on Friday. What else has the IAAF said?
The IAAF acknowledged Makwala’s absence was “a sad case” but said its medical staff examined the athlete, and notes taken by a doctor showed he had been vomiting over an 18-hour period.
It said it was under instruction to quarantine athletes who showed symptoms of a “very virulent” norovirus outbreak.
Pam Venning, head of medical at the IAAF, told BBC Sport on Tuesday: “I have to trust my doctors. My role is to ensure the healthcare of all the athletes here and it’s a very infectious and very virulent disease.”
In a later statement, the governing body said: “The team doctor, team leader and team physio had been informed following the medical examination that the athlete should be quarantined for 48 hours and would therefore be missing the 400m final on Tuesday.”
Venning said “all the other teams” with affected athletes had adhered to IAAF instructions.
What have Botswanan officials said?
Public Health England says 30 athletes and support staff have been affected by sickness at the Tower Hotel in London – though the hotel is not the source of the outbreak. The IAAF has insisted it gave clear communication to the Botswana delegation that Makwala would not be allowed to run following a medical examination.
But Botswana officials said they had received no explanation as to why Makwala was not allowed entry, and had not been told to keep the runner in quarantine.
The country’s Olympic boss Falcon Sedimo told BBC Sport: “There has been no official communication, no formal communication from the IAAF at all. We found out from the media.
“There have been no medical tests at all, it’s just generalised assumptions because of the outbreak of sickness and he has just one of those symptoms.”
Botswana medical team member Simon O’Brien said Makwala showed no symptoms of the bug and blamed “poor communication” from the IAAF for the athlete missing the race.
“He’s fit, he’s very well, he’s prepared to run, and he’s just being kept away by the IAAF,” said O’Brien, who insisted there was no sign of the illness during the time he spent with Makwala.
What have Botswanan officials said?
Public Health England says 30 athletes and support staff have been affected by sickness at the Tower Hotel in London – though the hotel is not the source of the outbreak. The IAAF has insisted it gave clear communication to the Botswana delegation that Makwala would not be allowed to run following a medical examination. But Botswana officials said they had received no explanation as to why Makwala was not allowed entry, and had not been told to keep the runner in quarantine.
The country’s Olympic boss Falcon Sedimo told BBC Sport: “There has been no official communication, no formal communication from the IAAF at all. We found out from the media.
“There have been no medical tests at all, it’s just generalised assumptions because of the outbreak of sickness and he has just one of those symptoms.”
Botswana medical team member Simon O’Brien said Makwala showed no symptoms of the bug and blamed “poor communication” from the IAAF for the athlete missing the race.
“He’s fit, he’s very well, he’s prepared to run, and he’s just being kept away by the IAAF,” said O’Brien, who insisted there was no sign of the illness during the time he spent with Makwala.
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