Any thoughts on why ANYONE would turn their back on 1/2 MILLION DOLLARS for
less than 10 seconds of work for doing something that you are the best in
the world at? Does this seem odd to anyone else?
------Original Message------
From: "Paul V. Tucknott" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Track & Field List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Track Canada
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: October 5, 2000 3:04:46 AM GMT
Subject: t-and-f: Greene turns back on huge payday
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/athletics/newsid_956000/956195.stm
Olympic 100m champion Maurice Greene has turned down the chance to race for
$500,000 in the Grand Prix final in Qatar on Thursday.
The world record holder has taken the decision to fly back home to the
United States from Sydney rather than compete in the final IAAF Grand Prix
of the season.
The $3.4m event has attracted 12 Olympic gold medallists from Sydney,
including triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards and triple-Olympic medallist
Marion Jones.
Charlie Wells, manager of Jones, was particularly surprised by Greene's
decision.
He said: "You don't walk away from thousands of dollars like that. You can
never get that money back."
Overall record
Greene has forfeited the chance to win $200,000 awarded to the athlete with
the best overall record throughout all the major Grand Prix through the
season.
However, Jones is in no such predicament.
She could be in line for an additional $50,000 if she were to win her
re-match against Heike Drechsler and Fiona May in the long jump, both of
whom pushed her into bronze in Sydney.
Despite many of the athletes and officials arriving three hours late from a
gruelling 21-hour flight from Sydney, Wells refused to criticise the timing
of the schedules.
He said: "If it requires us to travel 24 hours to put on a show, then that's
what they pay us for."
Entertain
"It's part of our job. Our job is to entertain. It's a shame for the ones
who miss it."
Wells also confirmed Jones was enticed by the financial rewards of the Qatar
meet.
He added: "It's business, strictly business."
The Khalifa Stadium stages only its third Grand Prix with women athletes
after only allowing them to compete in 1998.
With huge ground made by the IAAF and Qatar government, the Grand Prix has
been elevated to stage the final meet of the season and will be watched by
up to 50,000 spectators.
