Senegalese ban athlete over ‘discourteous remarks’
13 hours ago
DAKAR (AFP) — Senegal’s athletics ruling body has effectively ruled 400 metres athlete Amy Mbacke Thiam out of next year’s Olympics by imposing a one-year ban on the former world champion.
Local media reported that Thiam, the world 400 metres champion in 2001, was sanctioned for “discourteous” remarks made to Senegalese athletics chiefs following her mediocre performances at the world championships in Osaka, Japan.
Her ban was announced after an extraordinary meeting of the Senegalese Athletics Federation (FSA) here Sunday.
“She has been suspended for a year, with immediate effect,” said FSA president Momar Mbaye, according to the official Senegalese press agency.
“Amy Mbacke Thiam will be banned from all competition for a year.”
The Beijing Olympics are held August 8-24, 2008.
Thiam, who won the world title at Edmonton in 2001, was eliminated in the first round of the one-lap event at last month’s world championships.
She later explained she had been affected psychologically from receiving a suspended six-month ban from the federation for failing to turn up for the All Africa Games in Algiers.
After her setback in Osaka, Thiam slammed the federation, saying: "They’re a bunch of hypocrites who are incompetent and don’t know how to manage top level sport.
“I’m fed up with these officials, they are amateurs. Since they announced my suspension (suspended) I’ve just got no motivation. They have totally smashed my morale.”
Thiam, 30, who is based in Paris, explained that she had missed the All Africa Games because the federation had not sent her a plane ticket in time, a claim the FSA denied.