General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ironman Choo Disqualification Rss Feed  
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2016-10-18 9:30 AM

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Tyrone, Georgia
Subject: Ironman Choo Disqualification
Did not remember seeing it on here but was on our local news again recently here in the Chatt area. 2nd place AG disqualification from IM Chatt due to receiving outside assistance. They went into a little more detail indicating that it was more than just a simple instance of receiving chapstick from his SO but "witnessed several times". Anyway if you had not seen prior http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/33294292/second-place-finisher-disquali...


2016-10-18 10:07 AM
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Master
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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification

This isn't "she handed him a ChapStick".  This is "she rode a bike alongside the course and helped him out multiple times, and he continued to break the rules".

Better article with more details: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/denver-area-triathlete-qualifies-for-ironman-championships-then-dqed-because-of-chapstick

"Athlete Matt Smith was seen being assisted by a woman on a bicycle (not officially associated with IRONMAN), who provided him at least one item (chapstick) that he used during the event. He was cited for Unauthorized Assistance, and issued a stop-and-go yellow card penalty. During the 30-45 seconds that Mr. Smith was serving his penalty, he was informed of the reason for the penalty and told not to continue receiving outside assistance. Prior to this penalty, Mr. Smith was seen in the company of the female on a bike.

Subsequent to this instance, Mr. Smith was witnessed several more times, receiving Unauthorized Assistance from the same woman on a bicycle who was involved in the first situation.

Due to Mr. Smith’s initial Unauthorized Assistance rule violation combined with subsequent occurrences of Unauthorized Assistance, Mr. Smith was met at the finish line and notified of his disqualification.

Mr. Smith also had a conversation with the Head Referee at the awards ceremony, where the reasons for his disqualification were reiterated. It was emphasized to Mr. Smith that his disqualification was for the combination of violations subsequent to his first stop-and-go penalty, and not solely for his initial penalty for illegally receiving the chapstick."

And at he took his DQ honorably:

"Just out of principal, I've always said I will never argue with a ref's decision on a course, so I chose not to argue with her and accepted gracefully,” he said. "But it's pretty disheartening."

As he wrote in his Facebook post, Smith coaches triathletes and requires them to sign an athlete's agreement that includes this caveat:
"Arguing with a race official, volunteer or another athlete will terminate the coaching relationship immediately with no refund."

 



Edited by brucemorgan 2016-10-18 10:09 AM
2016-10-18 10:14 AM
in reply to: brucemorgan

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification
Thanks Bruce for the additional link, our local news reported on it the next morning after here in the Chatt area, just glad they mentioned it again and that is was just more than one isolated incident in which he had already been carded and served the time penalty for. They did not go into a lot of details just mentioned the "multiple times witnessed".

2016-10-18 10:35 AM
in reply to: brucemorgan

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification
Head ref Jimmy Riccitello also posted on ST about this explaining the DQ
2016-10-19 3:26 PM
in reply to: brucemorgan

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification
I think it's great WTC came down on this guy. I've witnessed this as a competitor a few times, where an athlete has a person running alongside or biking to stay in touch.

It's really frustrating to mentally have to watch this as a competitor, and not to have officials spot this behavior, especially when I'm doing my best to keep going, and the person ahead of me is getting outside support. Case in point, Honu Hawaii 70.3, some guy's wife / GF was running with him in the race path, actually blocking me. Really pissed me off.
2016-10-20 8:47 AM
in reply to: metafizx

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification
Originally posted by metafizx

I think it's great WTC came down on this guy. I've witnessed this as a competitor a few times, where an athlete has a person running alongside or biking to stay in touch.

It's really frustrating to mentally have to watch this as a competitor, and not to have officials spot this behavior, especially when I'm doing my best to keep going, and the person ahead of me is getting outside support. Case in point, Honu Hawaii 70.3, some guy's wife / GF was running with him in the race path, actually blocking me. Really pissed me off.


I agree, this guy(and his wife) knew they were breaking the rules, this was intentional and planned cheating!


2016-10-20 3:14 PM
in reply to: mike761

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification
Yes...require your coached athletes to sign an agreement on ethical behaviour, but race with compete lack of respect for the rules and your fellow competitors.... And, attempt to gain sympathy when using the media to downplay your own culpability....

Hmmmm, yes, indeed a man of principle!


2016-10-21 2:14 PM
in reply to: triosaurus


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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification
Just wanted to throw this out there in regard to assistance. Anyone have an opinion on races such as Tour De France, Tour of California? I have watched these on TV over the last couple years. One guy fell down on his bike. He bandaged his arm, but it did not hold. So then there is a camera shot of the guy holding on to the window frame of a car while a guy re-does bandage....all the while the car is moving and he isn't pedaling. Yea, only took about 10 seconds but geez...if that isn't crazy! I have also seen a rider "lean" into a car to say something to the support team, or get a bottle of water, etc, and sometimes, not always, they sort of grab onto the car, if even for only a few seconds. I doubt I would ever have brought this up, but since assistance was the topic, just wondered if anyone had some thoughts on this?
Thanks.
2016-10-21 2:43 PM
in reply to: Burchib

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification

Originally posted by Burchib Just wanted to throw this out there in regard to assistance. Anyone have an opinion on races such as Tour De France, Tour of California? I have watched these on TV over the last couple years. One guy fell down on his bike. He bandaged his arm, but it did not hold. So then there is a camera shot of the guy holding on to the window frame of a car while a guy re-does bandage....all the while the car is moving and he isn't pedaling. Yea, only took about 10 seconds but geez...if that isn't crazy! I have also seen a rider "lean" into a car to say something to the support team, or get a bottle of water, etc, and sometimes, not always, they sort of grab onto the car, if even for only a few seconds. I doubt I would ever have brought this up, but since assistance was the topic, just wondered if anyone had some thoughts on this? Thanks.

I've listened to the guys that do the US broadcast of the TdF talk about this a few times - it all comes down to how much advantage it is for the rider, and why they are there in the first place.  It's totally subjective but I've never heard of anyone complaining about it.  I mean, the peloton will intentionally slow down to allow for riders that have crashed or had mechanical issues to catch up.  As long as it doesn't affect the outcome (remember that the TdF is a race against other riders, not an individual TT like triathlon).

2016-10-21 2:53 PM
in reply to: jmhpsu93


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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification
"(remember that the TdF is a race against other riders, not an individual TT like triathlon)"
-Good point here Mike. .
2016-10-21 2:57 PM
in reply to: Burchib

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification

Originally posted by Burchib Just wanted to throw this out there in regard to assistance. Anyone have an opinion on races such as Tour De France, Tour of California? I have watched these on TV over the last couple years. One guy fell down on his bike. He bandaged his arm, but it did not hold. So then there is a camera shot of the guy holding on to the window frame of a car while a guy re-does bandage....all the while the car is moving and he isn't pedaling. Yea, only took about 10 seconds but geez...if that isn't crazy! I have also seen a rider "lean" into a car to say something to the support team, or get a bottle of water, etc, and sometimes, not always, they sort of grab onto the car, if even for only a few seconds. I doubt I would ever have brought this up, but since assistance was the topic, just wondered if anyone had some thoughts on this? Thanks.

Covered above, but adding that the marshalls will penalize a rider if they take advantage of a situation or, in the case of Nibali last year, will DQ a rider trying to cheat.

And cycling is not triathlon.

 



2016-10-21 6:08 PM
in reply to: ChrisM

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Subject: RE: Ironman Choo Disqualification

Originally posted by ChrisM

Originally posted by Burchib Just wanted to throw this out there in regard to assistance. Anyone have an opinion on races such as Tour De France, Tour of California?....

And cycling is not triathlon.

Yes, there are different rules, and even the same rules that "seem" similar are applied differently as they are not the same sport.

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