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GOHEAVY.COM Olympic Weightlifting Forum
Re: MY APOLOGIES on previous post!
Posted By: Harry Leech (78.16.73.233)
In Response To: MY APOLOGIES on previous post! (JOE DUBE)
Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008, @ 6:35 p.m.
Mr Dube,
I'm not an American, nor have I ever met Casey. However, I met his Dad once and had the pleasure of training in his gym; One of the highlights of a trip to San Diego a few years ago (probably topping the wedding of a friend, which was my reason for travelling to SoCal in the first place!)
Having met Casey's Dad though, I think I have the cut of what a son of a man like Mike is like and I think the way in which he has been treated is apalling. Does he deserve to lift in this Olympics? Yes. Without a doubt. Put simply, he is one of the best Super-Heavy's in the world today, better than many who will lift in Bejing. What happened at the WC's was a complete anomaly, one of the weird things that happens in our sport (like the possibility of someone setting a WR, yet still losing a competition based on bodyweight. It happens, but it's in the rules and we just have to deal with it.)
But what happened after that is not acceptable. The IWF have repeatedly said that there were only 2 x slots available for the US. Whatever happened, whether it was hope, possiblity, fabrication or whatever, someone, somewhere in the USAW blew it. The either MIS-represented or OVER-represented the chance of that 3rd slot and if one wants to be at the top of the USAW or on the board of the IWF one has to be able to seperate the wood from the trees (in the spirit of your recent post, I'm using that analogy rather than a more BLUNT phrase.) They (political sports leaders) have to be political animals, and whether the individual/individuals lied or were taken along for a ride, either way they have failed Casey as an athlete, the USAW as an organisation (and by that I mean a grass-roots organisation which is a far more honourable an institution than some corporation) and the family and friends that have supported Casey as an athlete over the last 14 years. If you're at the top you either play the game or get played. These leaders either got played or lied: Either way, they need to 'fess up. As has been said before, if Casey and his coach knew that there were 2 spots, they would have gone after 2nd place!
A long way around to getting what I wanted to say, but... You've nothing to apoligise for: You're clearly gent, you have represented your country at the highest level (and with great honour) and YOUR OPINION MATTERS. You were right to say what you said and the way that you said it was genuine, clear, concise and without malice. Anger, yes (which is perfectly normal, understandable and acceptable in the circumstances) but not malice.
I hope, as no doubt do you, that Casey can come through this very dissapointing time of trial and become a stronger person for it. Having met some of his family, albeit only once, I don't doubt it for a second.
Look forward to your posts,
Harry
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