It's bad form to use someone else's race number to compete in a race you aren't registered for. And it's indefensible to claim a prize as a result of the deception. But a felony? That's what a couple of mountain bike racers are facing after deceiving race officials in last year's Leadville Trail 100, a legendary endurance race.
In no way do we condone the actions of Wendy Lyall, 36, and Katie Brazelton, 40. Brazelton apparently could not compete in the race because of an injury and gave her number to Lyall, who ended up finishing second in the 40-49 age group. But instead of admitting the deception, someone — it's not clear who — appeared at the awards ceremony and accepted the honor and prizes at the podium. That's despicable, and both women ought to be barred from ever competing in the Leadville race again.
Given the prominence of the race, and the close-knit mountain bike racing community, the disgrace that goes with such banishment is a suitably severe punishment. However, District Attorney Mark Hurlbert has filed a felony charge of criminal impersonation against Lyall, and is contemplating the same for Brazelton. That's too severe.
A felony conviction for cheating? Please.
Source....http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_15089381
Rotten Sports highlights the bad sports moments in today's sports world. We show you the "Rotten Side" of players, teams, coaches games, fans, and sports activities. We show you bad sportmanship, poor performances, bad sports behavior, and cheating. You won't soon forget what you see here. Make sure that you bookmark this site for future visits.
No comments:
Post a Comment