Greetings, all: Among the many interesting nuggets found in Suzy Hess' minutes of the USATF Masters T&F meetings in Albuquerque: Suzy writes: "(Records czar) Pete Mundle advised that the records in the annual report were amended to include new marks, misspellings, changes in dates. Mundle reported that Anselm LaBourne is possibly a Haitian citizen." This is weird. Anselm competed for the United States at the 1999 world WAVA meet in Gateshead and won the M40 1500. He also won a USATF Masters Runner of the Year award in 1999 for his age-group. At no time before, during or immediately after the meet (or during the honors committee meeting) did I hear anyone challenge Anselm's official nationality. Why now? Suzy also writes: "Graeme Shirley proposed, and the committee agreed, to adopt all WAVA standards for USA competitions, including the 27" hurdle standard, and the 500-700 gm javelin." This is interesting. I noted a year ago (see http://www.egroups.com/message/masterstf/1429) how the USATF Masters T&F Committee balked at going along with the lower hurdle heights for older age groups for a variety of reasons, mostly the cost to meet directors of buying a complete set of hurdles that go lower than 30 inches (widely available in Europe but not so easily found in USA). So what caused the turn-around? More important, will USATF be informed of the new hurdle heights (and spacings) so the next USATF rulebook doesn't leave out important information as it has in the past? Suzy writes: "The executive committee approved establishing a committee on the drug issue. This group will be chaired by Rose Monday. Kathy Jager volunteered to be on the committee." This is curious, since Suzy earlier wrote: " (Ken) Weinbel stated that USATF is not in the drug testing business for masters. USATF addressed the problem of our positive drug test and forwarded the problem to the IAAF, and IAAF passed it to WAVA. We will establish a small committee to lobby with WAVA. Rose Monday will act as drug-policy liaison with WAVA and will chair this committee." This means that Kathy Jager will sit on a committee lobbying WAVA over Kathy Jager -- presumably her attempt to receive early reinstatement from her 2-year drug ban after testing positive for a minute amount of syntehtic testosterone that was part of her doctor-prescribed hormone-replacement therapy for symptoms of menopause. Kathy certainly should be able to give input on the general issue of masters and doping rules, but she shouldn't be on an official committee that deals with her own case. Just doesn't appear kosher, from a conflict-of-interest standpoint. Ken Stone http://www.masterstrack.com
