Watching, reading, listening and finally being surprised…
Musings of an observer without ambitions
Since LA with his incomparable power intruded into triathlon, since he became an integral part of WTC in many ways, it was interesting to observe how attitudes and opinions towards him were oscillating. The scene of pro athletes was shaken through, sounds like that of rattle snakes could be heard worldwide. In the beginning it was an unanimous contra, be it in the open or clandestine, some more and others less political correct in their way of expressing their discontent.
How could it be that a guy from another sport without any doubt with a controversially discussed reputation took over triathlon with the blink of an eye? Famous names of triathlon suddenly faded beside this sheer impregnable mountain.After a certain period of time almost everybody in this niche sport had in somehow internalized that LA won’t go away – mountains usually don’t move easily – by them feeling cross or even insulted. They seemed to have understood that this was not an issue that could be tackled with letting deflate ones ego, that being a professional athlete meant to beat LA in a race. It became a winged word among pros, “this is our sport and we need to show, who the master in the house really is …” Not an easy task as the last month proved. Big mountains are intimidating, and it needs a strong mindset to defeat them.
But now the situation changed completely because it happened that USADA took up the case of the cyclists and their entourage accused of conspiracy. LA is part of this gang and WTC had to ban LA due to their own rules and regulations. They wanted these rules so much as they would like to discard them now. Andrew Messick in his interview in the “triathlete europe” already prepares us for an imminent change of these rules they have been so proud of. I don’t want to comment on the reality distortion fields involved here. Better you read the article yourself. I’m not a missionary who prays what’s wrong or right, or for the good or bad. Black or white anyway applies rarely to situations in the real world.
The only thing I would like to mention is that Mr. Messick should avoid the term fair and unfair, whatever they decide to do concerning there rules and regulations, it has nothing to do with fairness nor with a proper moral. It has more to do with WTC needing the LA mountain on which they intended to build their future on. This is at least how I received the message.
And now there is this hole. The media have been happy to have this mountain on which opinions differ, amateurs where proud to race in the same field with this “legend”, and pros draw motivation by proving of being able to defeat the invincible.
Okay, then we the observers are curious to see how the hole that opened due to the ban of LA will be filled. I am sure we shall see the most distinct efforts to do so, and it will be a pleasure for me to observe the collisions and coalitions of the various distortion fields involved: WTC, pro athletes, age groupers, media, and the audience, very important to differentiate between the US, Europe and the rest of the world.
What unifies them all is that beyond moral constraints and political correctness, triathlon as such tried to take advantage in some way or the other of the LA mountain’s incredible fame, professionalism, his ability to mobilize and antagonize and fascinate, be it by awe or disgust.
I am curious to see what’s going to happen during the next months as we moving closer towards Kona.
Could it eventually be that triathlon is missing LA since he is not there anymore???
