Catriona Cuddihy re-instated in Irish 4x400m Olympic team

It now looks as if Catriona Cuddihy will finally be part of the womens 4 x 400m relay team competing at London 2012. The Kilkenny City Harriers athlete has successfully appealed a decision to drop her from the team that she was originally selected on. An Olympic Council of Ireland Appeals Tribunal held last Thursday confirmed  its decision last night (Monday 23rd) to re-instate Catriona.

The selection process for the team hasn't exactly shone a positive light on Athletics Ireland itself. Back at the start of July, the Irish team 4x400m qualified for the Olympics as they were ranked 13th in the world and the top 16 go to the Games. The team named by Athletics Ireland was...
Joanne Cuddihy (KCH AC), Michelle Carey (Dublin Striders AC), Claire Bergin (DSD AC), Marian Heffernan (Togher AC), Jessie Barr (Ferrybank AC), Catriona Cuddihy (KCH AC)

Then Joanna Mills appealed the decision that she was excluded. Athletics Ireland then dropped Catriona Cuddihy and included Joanna Mills and forwarded the new team to the Olympic Council of Ireland. Catriona then appealed that decision to the OCI.

In a word, Athletics Ireland made a shambles of the whole process and both athletes have been treated badly. It's really horrible for someone to be told that they are going to the Olympics and then told they're not.

Update...Tues 24th 9:30am......The OCI have just made the following announcement.....(Basically, Catriona was picked because of her greater experience even though Joanna has run faster times)

The appeal to the Olympic Council of Ireland’s Appeal Tribunal by Catriona Cuddihy against the decision of an Athletics Ireland Appeal Panel (AIAP) to de-select her from the Women’s 4 x 400m relay team for the Olympic Games has been successful.

The OCI’s Appeal Tribunal held an in person hearing on Thursday night last, July 19 in Dublin city centre and heard submission from legal representatives of Ms Cuddihy, Athletics Ireland and Joanna Mills.
Ms Mills prior appeal to Athletics Ireland against her non-selection for the relay team had been upheld and it was this against this decision which Ms Cuddihy appealed.
The Appeal Tribunal found that process for the original selection by the AI High Performance Relay Selectors had been carried out in a fair and proportionate manner. The AIAP in reaching its decision differed with the interpretation of the Selectors in the application of two of the eight selection criteria for the Women’s relay team on the grounds that their application had been too narrowly applied.
The Tribunal in reviewing the selection criteria and the AIAP decision found that it did not agree with the AIAP conclusions.
The Tribunal found that the Selectors did follow and apply the selection policy outlined in the Relay Programme and did so with diligence and acumen.
This Tribunal finds that the AIAP did not properly construe Selection Factor No.1 [overall relay experience] and by imposing the interpretation it did, the AIAP itself applied a narrow interpretation which was not contemplated under the Selection Factors.
The Tribunal further finds in relation to Selection Factor No.2 [overall experience in major championships (individual and relay)] while a broader interpretation could have been applied to the scope of this criteria, namely to include pre-2011 major championship experience including at junior level, that the additional weighting accorded by the AIAP to the experience of Ms Mills in this regard was disproportionate when the totality of the components within Selection Factor No.2 and the weighting accorded to the other athletes based upon their major championship experience and contribution to the relay team were considered.
Based on these findings the Tribunal upheld the appeal of Catriona Cuddihy, and her original nomination to the OCI as an athlete on the Women’s 4 x 400m relay is reinstated.
Nothing in the decision prevents recourse by the parties to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Full document HERE

Update...11am.......Athletics Ireland released the following statement...

Athletics Ireland notes the decision of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) to select Catriona Cuddihy for the Irish Women’s 4×400m relay squad to compete at the London Olympic Games. Athletics Ireland respects the OCI’s decision which concludes the selection process.

The experience has been a significant learning for the Association. In that regard the selection and appeals process to date will form part of an overall review of the preparation for London and the performance of Irish athletes there. Inputs from all involved will be sought when doing so.

Athletics Ireland CEO John Foley said: “We also have to acknowledge that the past three weeks has been enormously difficult for the athletes involved in this appeal process, their families, supporters and friends. At this point however there is a final decision as to selection and we believe that it is now in the interests of all, that we focus our attention on the Games themselves. We wish all of the athletes the best of luck in their efforts in London.” 

Update.....3:45pm........Response from Joanna Mills......

“I think the initial disappointment of now getting selected and then being told that you are going and then being told you’re not going has been draining. But it’s definitely something that has made me stronger and it’s something I have to see how everything pans out."
“I suppose its just the way the decision has been made. I would rather be running faster and not be going than be running faster just to get a place to go. It’s made me more determined I think defintely. I’m only 19 so realistically I’m aiming for 2016 and beyond so I cant let it stop me in my tracks. I’m going to keep my head down and it’s only made me more hungry to compete at an Olympic Games and hopefully next time it will be a lot more of a clear-cut decision. ”

Update.....Wed 25th...2pm....

BBC interview with Joanna Mills HERE
The latest news is that Joanna will not appeal the decision 

Jerry Kiernan comments on it on Newstalk....

Catriona Cuddihy comments on it to Newstalk...


 

Jessie Barr wins 400m race in Amsterdam...Sat 21st July 2012

Most of the Irish 4x400m Olympic team were in action in Amsterdam last night in the womens 400m. The race was won by Jessie Barr in a time of 53.68 seconds which was a new personal best time....by 0.02 seconds!

Irish Athletics...the saga with the 400m relay team continues...

Early last week, Athletics Ireland nominated the following six athletes to be part of the 4 x 400m relay team to the Olympic Council of Ireland.....Joanne Cuddihy (KCH AC), Michelle Carey (Dublin Striders AC), Claire Bergin (DSD AC), Marian Heffernan (Togher AC), Jessie Barr (Ferrybank AC), Catriona Cuddihy (KCH AC)

Joanna Mills who had been excluded appealed this decision and a few days later, Athletics Ireland replaced Catriona Cuddihy with Joanne Mills. Athletics Ireland then made the following statement..."The appeal committee made the decision to withdraw the nomination of Catriona Cuddihy to the OCI and nominate Joanne Mills in her place.". The Athletics Ireland president Ciaran O'Cathain said.... "Catriona can now appeal the decision to the Olympic Council of Ireland and Athletics Ireland will make no further comment on this decision,".

Catriona Cuddihy then appealed that decision to the Olympic Council of Ireland and their spokesman said.........“The athlete’s legal counsel has been in touch but without full clarification from Athletics Ireland on what exactly went on we can’t proceed with any appeal, if only because the OCI may not even have a role to play here. What we need first is for them to explain the exact procedure, and method, behind the selection of the original relay team, and why this was then overturned on appeal. Because we can’t do anything until we have that full explanation. We don’t know if they’ve broken any of their own internal rules, or if there is any legal issue here, or what exactly the due process here is. So at this stage we can’t even say if we’ll be getting involved at all.”


It's fair to say that the whole thing is now a mess. Whatever happens, the deadline for the submission of Irish entries is Friday, the 13th of July.

Just for some background to this story....
Catriona Cuddihy......personal best for 400m is 55.83 which was set last March.
Joanna Mills......personal best for 400m is 53.89 which was set in July 2011. Just this morning (Wed 11th July 2012), she ran a seasons best time of 54.17 in the World Junior Championships in Barcelona.

Update...Wed 11th July @4pm....This story gets even more bizarre. From the Irish Independent on Tuesday........"The Irish Independent understands that one procedural hiccup did occur in the AAI's appeal process. When Joanna Mills formally objected to being omitted from the squad, AAI was duty-bound to contact all of the other members of the relay team, inform them an appeal had been lodged and offer give them all an opportunity to make a personal submission on the matter. Athletics Ireland actually followed correct procedure and did this. But they informed the athletes of this by email and the address that AAI used was not recognised by the various athletes' internet accounts. As a result, the notification went into the athletes' 'junk mail' boxes and was not discovered until Saturday night, which was after Mills' appeal had been heard. "

Update...Fri 13th July @8pm......THE Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) have decided that they will hear Caitriona Cuddihy's appeal against her deselection for London early next week. The OCI were expected to make a statement on the matter today, but it appears that they have received all the information they requested from Athletics Ireland (AAI) and are now ready to hear the case. The OCI said initially they could not hear an appeal until they were satisfied that Athletics Ireland had correctly followed all of their own internal procedures.