Former Australian sprinter John Steffensen has launched an impassioned defence of the country's governing athletics body as it reels from the women's marathon selection saga ahead of Paris 2024.
A man who on many occasions throughout a dramatic track career had skirmishes with Athletics Australia (AA) selectors has whacked claims of the governing body being unethical.
The integrity of AA was questioned in scathing attacks this week by Australian Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson, as well as the manager for Australian marathon runner Lisa Weightman, who appealed her Paris 2024 non-selection.
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Steffensen has ties with AA via his business Just Sprint, through which he consults the governing body's commercial department.
But the Olympic silver medallist rejects the notion that he has a conflict of interest in commenting on the marathon selection controversy.
"Anybody that knows me knows I speak the truth," Steffensen told Wide World of Sports.
"I've done it my whole career and lost a lot of money doing it … I call a spade a spade and if AA does something that I feel is untoward or not in line with what I believe the sport represents, I will be the first one to say it — and they know that."
After speaking to a host of informed sources, Wide World of Sports revealed exclusively this week that Sinead Diver, Genevieve Gregson and Jessica Stenson had been selected to run in Paris.
Six women met the 2:26:50 entry standard within the qualification period, but only three could be picked.
"This is not taken lightly by them, they're really affected by it, they really care," Steffensen said of AA.
"They don't want to piss any athlete off. If they could pick six they would pick six. That's the rhetoric that I want to dull down; that AA is sitting there on their high horse waiting to do ill by athletes … I don't think it's sinister. AA would be shattered, this would be hard for them … It's not this sinister story of AA sitting and guarding their lair and trying to stuff over athletes. That's just not what's happened. I think they've done a lot of due diligence."
Steffensen, a Stan Sport expert commentator for Paris 2024, was a member of the AA board across 2017 and 2018.
He was appointed four years after clashing with AA over its decision to not select him as an individual 400m runner for the London 2012 Olympics. Steffensen formed part of the men's 4x400m relay team in London, but a young Steve Solomon was the only Australian man selected as a solo 400m runner.
Steffensen, born in Perth to South African immigrant parents, claimed at the time that racial discrimination was behind the decision.
"The world at AA is very different now to when I was stuffed around with selection," Steffensen said.
"Some of the people in the building back then are gone and that is a great thing. They were bad news. Other people — they were around then and are still here and I have gotten to know them and I know they're good people.
"I believe sometimes the only way you can make change is by getting involved, putting your money where your mouth is, getting in there and trying to leave the sport in a better place than when you found it.
"Having that opportunity on the board gave me great insight into what the sport goes through and what the admin goes through. I had a viewpoint as an athlete. Now by having all viewpoints it's put me in a position to have a very balanced view of how the sport should be run and what the sport needs to improve. It's been a fantastic learning curve for myself, hence why I can have this opinion."
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Although Steffensen defended AA, he also commended Weightman for fighting selectors.
The Weightman camp provided a statement to WWOS regarding the snubbing of the 45-year-old, who was denied an opportunity to become the first Australian track and field athlete to contest five Olympic Games.
"I don't have any criticism for Lisa saying what she's saying or doing what she's doing," Steffensen said.
"I am an athlete at heart and I understand why Lisa's upset. That's how you're meant to be, this is what you're meant to do, you're meant to ask questions.
"I've done it. I would be a pot calling the kettle black if I was saying Lisa can't be upset and question a decision. Of course she can. There's no problem with that."
Diver, Gregson and Stenson were selected instead of Weightman, Izzi Batt-Doyle and Eloise Wellings, who all met the entry standard within the qualification period.
An Australian Olympic Committee selection announcement is imminent.
"I feel deeply sorry for the three girls that didn't get picked," Steffensen said.
"It sucks. I've been in that position."
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