Dan Hugo not racing tri-cross champs - thanks TSA...

[gadget]

So as Dan himself admits, he has some blame to take, but surely TSA can look past all the (mal-) administrative BS and let our top guys race and win medals. It will just lead to more sponsorships, more people racing in triathlon (on- and off road).

 

I've seen some post here moaning about TSA, so what solutions are there? They hold the monopoly of all triathlons in SA, take huge amounts of money from registered athletes and even more from un-registered athletes. They take money from the race organizers, but I'm yet to learn what value they add .

 

http://www.dghugo.com/why-not/2012/05/19/

[E-man]

a comment by " SA Athlete" on the blog"

 

Dan,

Why don’t you tell the whole story now that you have started accusing individuals instead of yourself?

Olympic gold medalists have flown from US to qualify in SA for the team selection across all sports. Everyone in SA knows that you have to qualify in SA to represent SA. Do you think because you are DAN HUGO their must be the exception?

If TSA selected you then it will create a president for all athletes in the future… You did not know of the selection criteria because you never bothered to asked until you realized you can not race in Alabama without TSA entering you. Last year you told TSA you don’n want to be a member and represent SA in Spain… This year you had the same attitude until a few hand full of days before Bloemfontein. Why only then did you register for TSA membership? While so many other elite and amateur athletes across all formats of triathlon register every year. Even a multiple Xterra world champ has always been in support of TSA and registered faithfully.

In the past you have always been very focal against TSA. You just thought that you are more important than the rest and do not have to go trough the same efforts as the rest to be selected? It just does not work like that. You only wanted to race for SA because it was part of the US Xterra tour the Tri Cross Worlds. If it was somewhere in Europe you would not have bothered at all to race or to be a TSA member…think about that?

Also you finished 3rd in Grabouw. Thus the 2nd place athlete – what about him? So I can name many other top athletes who have excepted their choices and actions and went on in life…

I know so many US supporters and a hand full of SA supporters feel sorry for you and feels like politics played its part. But their is no reason not to choose you for any type of SA team for you are an outstanding athlete. Capable of winning in Alabama. It is a big setback for team SA that you are not representing SA. But when it comes to rules and protocols no athlete is so good or important not to follow them.

If your whole season is up to this one race why not fly out to SA, win in Bloemfontein and carry on with your life? Funny actually thinking that you played this all to the last minute to put TSA in a bad light….well done for that. Their is no doubt that TSA have many internal problems and needs to be corrected. But in your case to blame others except yourself is wrong and irresponsible.

Hard lesson for you and an excellent example for future use…

Edited May 19, 2012 by E-man

[scuzzy]

Sjoe E-man

 

I think your grilling of Dan is a bit hectic. I don't think we can even begin to understand what is going on there. This is Dan's work and even if he was 'n little lazy in getting the criteria right, it is more about the USA series that the ITU series. As far as him not competing in Europe last year, as youc an see from his blog, the europeand are also not traveling to US, due to cost and prize money, thus, him not going there last year has merit.

 

Anyway, I think it might be confusion, but I also think that the administrators could have done more, not to put him on a pedastal, but surely, for the love of sport they could make more effort with the pro guys, not because they think they are better than anybody else, but because this is what they do for a living. Even Conrad, the current champion, look at how they treat him, just no passion from their side.

[Weight Weenie]

Ja what is the story with Conrad's kit, I see it has no logos of any of his sponsors ?

 

Also if Dan was not selected as he failed to follow procedure, is there anyone else going or is it only Stoltz ?

[majestic]

Politics at it's best. . Why can't we put our egos in our pockets and let our best athletes get on with the job. F%@&K this red tape pisses me off.

[Rob Mortimer]

Not sure if it was actually E-man who posted that as it was a comment on the blog?

Either way, the answer and accusations smack of typical bureaucracy, a real "I'm the boss, grovel you bastard" type of attitude.

On top of that, if he was going to put that out in public perhaps he should have gone to the trouble of checking the spelling and grammar

[E-man]

Not sure if it was actually E-man who posted that as it was a comment on the blog?

Either way, the answer and accusations smack of typical bureaucracy, a real "I'm the boss, grovel you bastard" type of attitude.

On top of that, if he was going to put that out in public perhaps he should have gone to the trouble of checking the spelling and grammar

 

Jip was a comment just wanted to show the other side of the story!

[E-man]

Ja what is the story with Conrad's kit, I see it has no logos of any of his sponsors ?

 

Also if Dan was not selected as he failed to follow procedure, is there anyone else going or is it only Stoltz ?

 

Nico Sterk, Theo Blignaut + Caveman for the men and Carla van Huyssteen for the women's race

[Agteros]

IT seems/read as if Sterk qualified via another race, apparently not communicated to Dan... hmmm....

 

TSA.... I have heard some nasty stories(first hand) of them using friends to bypass processes, and hijacking of projects of members and then using it for grandstanding and not for the initial intention of building the sport.

[The_Break]

The main reason why TSA exists should be to benefit the athletes and make racing and selection possible for them. They do however need to set rules and regulations against which they and the athletes need to work. The trick is making sure those rules and regulations are of the most benefit to the SA team as a whole, whilst ensuring a healthy system. The problem comes in when the ruling body forgets their role is one of serving the sport and the athlete, and when the athlete forgets that no one athlete is bigger than a team or the sport itself.

[rpedro]

who died?

[Garfield2010]

In the end TSA needs to add value for the pros as well as the amateurs and personally I do not see that happening. Earlier in the year they were very very quick to cancel the prestige ulltra event because of a TSA-daily fee dispute with sepctrum sports. Instead of trying to sort it out they just cancelled the event. Was that in the best interest of the athletes or themselves?

 

Also it was *** styl for them to pitch up at the IM 70.3 event and wanted their payment before you could get your racing chip. So after already spending a fortune on the entry fee etc now they also want there little bit. And what value did they add?

 

Maybe I dont know all the facts but as far as I am concerned they dont add enough value for me so I am not doing any TSA sanctioned races until it changes.

[Shebeen]

I've got a lot of respect for Dan the athlete, Dan the blogger and Dan the brand representative.

 

However, this is dirty laundry and should not be in the public domain in this format. On his own blog? It doesn't get him to the race, so not much point really. He's worked hard to get his soapbox, got to be careful what he says from it. Case in point:

 

http://www.dghugo.com/disgust-for-cape-outback-mtb-race/2012/04/17/

[Klaus]

Seems to be another "rule" for us to follow. Just pay TSA and then you pay to enter races to ride your bike and run in your shoes. R325 is this years fees, for what I ask? Maybe Dan has the same issues

 

Some people are taking the piss so to speak.....

[T.XTERRA]

Hi there Guys

 

Unfortunate for this sort of thing to happen.

I just have one question. Who speaks on behalf of the athletes and would it not be beneficial to have a body that is able to speak on behalf of everyone that pays and registers with TSA?

This body would be able to sit down with TSA representatives and communicate issues/needs as well as find out where the monies are being allocated and revert back.

The Nominated Multisport Club Chairman I would expect would be best suited to make up the provincial bodies and then they would nominate the provincial chairman.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Thanks T.

[Garfield2010]

I've got a lot of respect for Dan the athlete, Dan the blogger and Dan the brand representative.

 

However, this is dirty laundry and should not be in the public domain in this format. On his own blog? It doesn't get him to the race, so not much point really. He's worked hard to get his soapbox, got to be careful what he says from it. Case in point:

 

http://www.dghugo.com/disgust-for-cape-outback-mtb-race/2012/04/17/

 

I understand your point Dictator but there are a lot of complaints and uncertainty regarding TSA and no one is responding from their side. I am sure most of the guys following Dan on his blog are also TSA paying members as are most of us on this blog (or topic) so what a better place to discuss a topic like this?

 

Maybe we can ask TSA to read this blog and respond here for all athletes to see. They should also get a fair chance to defend themselves. What I do pickup hoever on Dans blog responses is that a "TSA" admin did respond under a nickname which is really not fair game and that proves something is wring in my opinion.