In the Norges Friidrettsforbund’s rules for the EC, it was stated that the selection will be based on EA’s ranking lists per 26 July, and that no reserve should be entered in the event of any lapses on these lists. On August 11, the EC starts in Munich. This caused many in the athletics community to raise their eyebrows. – When you have such a concrete and clear selection criterion for the championship, which goes to a concrete number, and at the same time have a ranking system that allows people close to the requirement to participate, then you just have to take care of it, says Petter Skinstad to news. He insists: – They are failing the width. If you have completed the requirement, you are better than anyone who is not there. If we are to benefit from the wonderful development we have in Norwegian athletics, we are completely dependent on giving them the next best opportunity. Skinstad is supported by Anders Huun Monsen, the man behind the blog friidrett1. – In the worst case, there is a risk that people will give up earlier because the framework conditions will be worse, because they will not get sponsors, and in terms of motivation when they see that it is a long way up, says Monsen to news. Now the association has only eight words, and thus there is suddenly a chance for middle-distance runner Ingeborg Østgård (18) to participate. Turning to criticism In the new withdrawal rules it is now stated that: “the withdrawal will be based on EA ranking lists which apply to results per 26 July, after they have been updated with registered due dates. Final withdrawals will be carried out when we have received these lists from EA.” The final withdrawal has been given the date of 1 August. Top sports manager Erlend Slokvik explains why they have now updated the regulations. WAS THE PLAN: Slokvik believes that the plan all along was to take out athletes who got a place via ranking. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB – It was to clarify more. It was clearly misunderstood, so we have changed it to make it easier to understand, says Slokvik to news. – What does it mean in practice? – This means that when we get the final lists from EA, all the athletes will be included. There was a deadline of 26 July to register default. We received the list from EA on Friday and then asked for an extended deadline until Sunday. If there are more due dates before Sunday, we will include any Norwegian athletes who receive an invitation, but on 1 August we will withdraw the team. Then we saw the line, says Slokvik. He does not necessarily agree with the criticism of the athletics association. – Well, understand and understand. We will always set a line for withdrawals and the level we want. In the World Cup, an individual goes very far down the lists, and then there will be an assessment of whether to include someone who is so far down the lists, he says. DIFFERENCE: Here you see the changes that were made. Photo: Norwegian Athletics Federation – Dutt Middle distance runner Ingeborg Østgård is one of those who will be told on Monday that she will compete in the EC. She runs 1500 meters. ALMOST IN: Ingeborg Østgård. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB – When I’m number 31, it can happen quickly. But the EC has not been the goal for the season, it will only be a bonus if I get that place, says Østgård to news. Her biggest goal for the season is the U20 WC, and is in Colombia right now. She herself thinks that the union’s practices have not been anything to brag about. – I think it’s a bit stupid. As long as you are qualified, you are good enough to join, she says. – How is it as an athlete to take care of such a situation? – It is a bit difficult. Now I haven’t met the requirement, and in that sense I didn’t have any hopes of being withdrawn, but it’s a bit unpredictable. Nevertheless, she believes that it will be a big carrot if she now gets a place in the EC squad. – That means a lot. In a way, all the training I’ve done, and the hours I’ve spent, that’s what you train for. It would have been great to be involved, she says. Athletes who could have qualified via ranking in case of failure: Ingeborg Østgård (1500 m): 31st place (second best) Astri Ertzgaard (400 m): 45th place, 36 qualified Amanda Marie Frøynes (800 m): 46th place, 32 qualified Sigrid Jervell Våg (1,500 m): 32nd place, 25 qualified Ida Meli Narbuvoll (10,000 m): 30th place, 27 qualified Marlen Elisabeth Aakre Johansson (400 m hurdles): Next in ranking (but depending on Norwegian withdrawal, since four Norwegians are qualified in practice) Andrea Rooth (400 m hurdles): fourth woman in the ranking Henriette Jæger (all-around): 29th place, 24 qualified Lotta Flatum (discus): second woman in the ranking place Rejoicing over the change Petter Skinstad is happy that the athletics association has taken the criticism seriously. – It is good to hear that they are taking the initiative and listening to criticism from the athletics community, he says. HAPPY: Sports commentator Petter Skinstad. Photo: Olof Andersson/TV 2 / TV 2 Monsen thinks the same. – I think so. In the first text, it seemed that July 26 was the deadline, and we saw that these lists had not been updated, he says and continues: – When you know that unions are slow to report defaults, it was too early (with that deadline), but it is very good that they have now asked to extend the deadline. It sounds like a good decision, he says. Top sports director Slokvik himself elaborates that the plan all along was to include athletes who got places from the ranking lists, but that the text itself was not clear enough. – We thought that if places were allocated just before the championship, we would not put in reserves. Before the European Championship, this was the idea all along, he says. – Do you think this was the idea all along? Ask news’s journalist Skinstad. – To put it this way: If this was the plan all along, they would have said it earlier. It is natural to want to do better in the light of hindsight, he says. Monsen has no reason to believe that this was not the plan. – It is possible that they meant it from the start, it is impossible for me to know. It was taken up on social media and then there was some discussion. Whether it is just a clarification or whether they have changed, I do not know. There is no reason to believe that it was not what they meant, he says.
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Was to blame for failing the Breida – now the association has turned around – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
