Sprinter’s lawsuit causing concerns
By Elliott Almond
Mercury News
Sprint star Marion Jones has sued her former coach in a contract dispute with ripple effects that threaten to limit the number of trainers and facilities available to aspiring Olympians.
Jones, who won the 100 meters at the U.S. championships Friday, asked a Texas court in March to overturn an arbitrator’s order that she pay $91,600 to Florida assistant track coach Dan Pfaff.
Details of that arbitration decision were revealed in Jones’ civil action, which has track coaches considering how to protect themselves against suit-happy athletes.
``As the ability to make money in the world of track and field grows, this type of activity will grow with it,’’ said Sam Seemes, executive director of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Although track has become more professional in the past decade, there is no official structure for coaching elite American athletes.
A few coaches, such as Trevor Graham in Raleigh, N.C., and John Smith in Los Angeles, have created professional clubs separate from nearby universities. But most Olympic hopefuls depend on the generosity of college coaches, who allow their former athletes to train for free – and often without formal contracts.
As more learn the details of the Jones dispute – which stemmed in part from her contention that Pfaff’s coaching was ineffective – other athletes could be emboldened to sue if they are unhappy with their results. Seemes said that could destroy the current system of coaching, leaving athletes who lack major sponsors without a place to train.
Our coaches are at risk,'' Pfaff said. Our Olympic movement is at risk.’’
One of Jones’ attorneys, Donald J. Harris of Raleigh, disputed that.
I'm not sure how this situation could cause anybody concern,'' he said. If a coach has a contract with his athletes, they are bound by that contract.’’
Jones could not be reached for comment.
Seemes’ group, which represents 85 percent of college track coaches, wants to create a standardized contract, like those between voice coaches and actors.
Seemes is pushing for his group’s involvement because if Jones wins her suit, ``it means our coaches are open to huge liability problems,’’ he said.
Erica Wheeler, a 1996 Olympic javelin thrower from Stanford, said she understands the concerns.
``This kind of lawsuit will make anyone afraid to help an athlete out,’’ said the member of the USA Track & Field athletes advisory committee.
The lawsuit also could lead university administrators to bar elite athletes from their facilities for fear of being sued. Penn State’s Tim Curley, president of a national athletic directors group, said schools probably would address the situation case by case instead of calling for a nationwide ban of post-collegiate athletes.
Although it is not unusual for athletes to switch coaches because of disagreements or better opportunities, rarely does the situation evolve as it did with Jones, winner of five medals at the Sydney Olympics.
In August 2003, Pfaff left the University of Texas to train Jones and her then-companion Tim Montgomery. He signed five-year contracts with each sprinter worth $500,000 apiece. The first two years were guaranteed.
According to the suit, disagreements between the sprinter and coach began at the end of 2003. During arbitration, Jones said Pfaff ``adversely affected’’ her performance and livelihood by failing to provide the sprinter with a training program. At the time, Jones was in the middle of the Balco Laboratories drug scandal.
Pfaff, who has coached 30 Olympians, countered that Jones and Montgomery frustrated his efforts by refusing to submit to blood work and other health tests.
By that spring Montgomery – who was later banned as part of the Balco case – was training Jones in the sprints, in which she failed to qualify for the Athens Olympics. She followed Pfaff’s coaching only for the long jump, in which she did qualify by winning the U.S. trials. Because Jones made the team, coaches picked her to run the sprint relay.
In Greece, Jones finished fifth in the long jump and was involved in a mishandled relay exchange that disqualified the favored Americans.
Jones fired Pfaff a month later, court records show. When Pfaff threatened to sue to collect his salary for the second year of his contract, Jones took the coach to arbitration, as stipulated in their agreement. Although Montgomery also didn’t pay the coach, Pfaff has yet to take legal action against him.
Last December, an arbitrator ordered Jones to pay $91,600 of Pfaff’s salary for the second year and to cover legal fees for a total of $238,000.
In March, Jones sued in Dallas County District Court on a technicality. The case is pending.
Harris, Jones’ attorney, said he couldn’t advise Jones’ company, MLJ Associates, to ``pay under an order that is fundamentally flawed. It should be sent back.’’
Pfaff’s attorney, Edmund Skip'' Davis, said: Their technicality is just as frivolous as their original claim that Dan’s coaching was inadequate. She ought to just come around and do the right thing – pay the coach.
``As far as I’m concerned, Marion’s word is no good.’’
Jones, 30, now trains with Steve Riddick of Norfolk, Va., After an 11-month layoff, the sprinter has re-emerged as a headliner after facing drug questions since 2004.
I could fool myself into believing that none of the exterior things, the outside factors, had an effect, but that's not the case,'' she told reporters this month. I’m not Superwoman.’’
Pfaff said the case has devastated him emotionally and financially.
I've spent my life donating millions of hours to help kids make Olympic teams,'' he said. Then I get hit by something like this. To be honest I’m pretty gun shy’’ to coach elite athletes.
Pfaff said he would take comfort if his situation affects change.
``I don’t want to see any of my coaching colleagues go through anything remotely close to this,’’ he said.
