Johnson to appeal his omission
LAWYERS for Patrick Johnson believe there are still grounds to appeal aginst his omission from the Olympic team and they will lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport today.
Johnson, the world’s fastest man last year, was one of four athletes who had their initial appeals to Athletics Australia (AA) dismissed yesterday.
All four have until tomorrow to take their fight to the next level - advise AA they will be lodging an appeal with CAS.
Johnson consulted his coach Esa Peltola and manager Clive Stephens, who then took AA’s decision dismissing his bid to run in the 100 metres individual event to his solicitors.
“They advised us there are grounds for appeal,” Stephens said yesterday.
“I then asked him ‘are you up to it?’ and Patrick said ‘yes, let’s move forward’.”
Johnson is on the 4x100m relay team, one of 16 to qualify for Athens under IAAF rules.
Paul Pearce, whose appeal was dismissed to run in the 4x400m relay, also plans to appeal to CAS while Annabelle Smith (400m) and Tim Williams (4x100m relay) are undecided.
ATHOC, the 2004 Olympic organisers, needs the names of athletes in all events, for every sport, for each country by Thursday (AEST).
However, Australian Olympic Committee spokesman Mike Tancred said that in the case of CAS appeals, there are provisions in place.
“We will add their names (Johnson, Pearce) as a precaution in case their CAS appeal is successful,” Tancred said. “Then we have until two days before track and field competition starts to confirm them.”
The Olympics begin on August 13 but athletics events do not start until August 20.
Josh Ross is Australia’s only 100m competitor at present and his coach Tony Fairweather said the upheaval over Johnson’s appeals was having an effect on his young charge.
“Josh has been selected for the Olympics and he hasn’t been able to enjoy it 100 per cent because of all the uncertainty,” Fairweather told AAP.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10185723%5E2722,00.html