– It is a disappointing message to receive. The Olympics have been my goal since I started athletics eight years ago. It is what I have dedicated my life to. Not being sent down, an opportunity the Olympiatoppen and the Athletics Federation do not take advantage of, is a bit heartbreaking, says Jacob Boutera to news. The Norwegian was on the “waiting list” for the 3,000 meter hurdles when the qualification period for the Olympics expired on 1 July. Then he was number 43, while 36 get a place. But in reality he had very good opportunities to come along. Because several of those ahead of him will not participate for various reasons. This may be due to injuries, other exercises being prioritized or not being selected by their national Olympic committees. In practice, it is the latter that is now happening for Bouteras. TOUGH NOTICE: Jacob Boutera has had a few tough hours after the last Olympic selection came. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news Spain and Sweden have already made the journey shorter with their withdrawals. On Friday, it is expected that Great Britain’s withdrawal will send him into the 36. – I thought there were good opportunities. I made early contact with the association, which is the road to the Olympic summit, and said that I was probably going to get a place when the lists are cleared, says Boutera. – In the worst case, it could mean the end. But on Wednesday, the last selection of the Olympic Games (OLT) came – and the discouraging message – before athletics had “cleansed” its lists: the 28-year-old will not be allowed to participate in Paris. – I knew it was going to be close. Not making it to the Olympics can have major consequences. In the worst case, it could mean the end of your career. There is no doubt that getting to the Olympics would make it much easier to continue in the sport. – I think the Olympic dream probably stops here, but I want to show that it has happened in an unfair way. How to get to the Olympics in 3000mh Qualification period: 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 Direct requirements for the Olympics. 8.15,00 minutes Maximum number of participants per nation: 3 If you take the Olympic requirement, you are automatically qualified. The National Olympic Committees can choose to scrap athletes anyway, as is the case for Spain’s Victor Ruiz. The remaining places are filled based on the athletes’ ranking. It is based on the average score from the three best races in the qualifying period. When the period is over, the lists will be cleared of athletes who will not run in the Olympics. That is, those who are not registered for various reasons. It will give the opportunity to the next on the list, such as Boutera who moves up from 43rd place to a place among the top 36. For the European Championships and World Championships, the Norwegian Athletics Federation operates with a requirement that they must be within the next 20 percent of athletes. If so, he would have been registered. But that does not apply to the Olympics, where the Olympiatoppen selects the athletes, after cooperation with the various special federations. – I do not comment on individual withdrawals. The withdrawals are the result of an extensive dialogue between the Olympiatoppen and the individual special association. The reference for being selected for participation is a documented probability of being able to be among the 12 best in the Olympics, writes top sports manager Tore Øvrebø to news. OLT CHIEF: Tore Øvrebø. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB – I feel discriminated against When Øvrebø was asked by news on Wednesday whether there would be an opening for more athletics athletes to be selected, he replied: – There will be athletes who are completely in border countries in order to be able to get some benefit of participating in the Olympics, as we understand the Olympics here in Norway. – Do you think some athletes are disappointed? – If they have been disappointed because they think they should have been involved, but had not had a chance to assert themselves, I think they are disappointed on the wrong basis. If they are disappointed because they have not achieved the development they wanted, then I have great sympathy for that, said Øvrebø on Wednesday. Boutera believes that the answers he has received from OLT are clarifying, but that the top twelve line is not something that is practiced consistently. Several other Norwegians who have been selected are also far behind the best in the ranking. – I think everyone on the starting line has a chance to make it. There is no consistent line that the top twelve criterion has been applied to all the athletes they send. Then I feel it is an unfair practice that is not consistent at all. I feel a bit discriminated against, says Boutera. – Has proven that he is good enough Sporting manager in Ull/Kisa, Hans Jørgen Borgen, questions the whole system and how to handle the withdrawal process. He is also crystal clear: Boutera would have had an opportunity to compete for a place in the top twelve. – He has proven that in a major event that is at the level below the Diamond League. There he beat five or six players who will be in the Olympics. He has proven that he is good enough, says Borgen to news. CRITICAL: Sports manager in Ull/Kisa, Hans Jørgen Borgen, believes Boutera should get an Olympic place. Photo: Kai Rune Kvitstein / news He is talking about the 5th place in the Paavo Nurmi Games on 18 June, where Boutera beat a number of Olympic-ready athletes. – You can see that many of those on the list ahead of him in the ranking have worse times than him this year. Although there are people who have not run as fast as Jacob, he himself has not run to meet the Olympic requirements. – Does he have anything to do there then? – The time requirement is frighteningly high. But the reason they have it so high is because they want us to use the ranking system for qualification. He believes the Olympic summit should use the same criteria as the Norwegian Athletics Association has used in connection with the EC and WC. – It was both neat and correct. There it was said that 20 per cent at the back can get an opportunity to come along if you get a place allocated by World Athletics. We saw that many of those who were on the edge asserted themselves and made it through to the final. That is the correct limit to use in this context. He is not very impressed by Øvrebø’s statements from Wednesday. – No individual assessment has been made here, at least when it comes to Boutera, Borgen says in a crystal clear voice. The sports manager thinks it feels brutal. He calls the consequences particularly devastating. The Ull/Kisa leader is calling for individual assessments, and believes the Olympiatoppen has only used the line on an unfinished ranking list. – We miss a process that is more orderly than it is now. Not least that the Olympiatop becomes familiar with the ranking and what it means, says Borgen. Rodal supports the assessment of OLT news expert Vebjørn Rodal believes it would have been easier to send Boutera if he was a young and promising athlete at the start of his career. – Sport is honest that way. He has had his opportunities to run faster and left no doubt. But it is in borderland. – Can you understand the disappointment? – I can understand that. But you have to set a limit and a date. The easiest thing is to run more than fast enough in good time before the Olympics. Photo: Sigmund Sagberg Andersen / news – Is he a top twelve performer? – No, not actually. In my eyes, he does not have the best qualifications. He doesn’t have the strongest finishing skills. He is good at steady speed, and you rarely see that in Olympic finals. In that sense, his qualities speak against him in that context, Rodal believes. Published 04/07/2024, at 15.09
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Jacob Boutera is refused to compete in the Olympics – goes hard against the withdrawal – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
