Gabriele Grunewald has been reinstated as the 2014 USA Indoor women's 3000-meter champion, USA Track and Field announced Monday.
Grunewald will represent Team USA at the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships on March 7-9 in Sopot, Poland. She will be joined on the U.S. squad by Shannon Rowbury.
The race reversal comes as the governing body of track and field faced mounting criticism about its decision to initially declare Grunewald the winner, and then hours later strip her of the title.
Grunewald won the 3000 on Saturday in Albuquerque after making a late move to charge past Rowbury and Jordan Hasay. As Grunewald passed Hasay on the bell lap, an on-field official raised a flag, indicating contact had been made between the two runners.
Officials determined shortly after the race no foul had occurred, which prompted Hasay’s coach, Alberto Salazar, to protest. The USATF’s Jury of Appeals denied the protest, and the results were posted as official, with Grunewald first and Rowbury second. Sara Vaughn was third and Hasay fourth.
Hours later, the Jury of Appeals announced it considered "enhanced video evidence" and overturned its original ruling, stripping Grunewald of the victory and declaring Rowbury the winner.
On Monday, the USATF reversed that decision after Salazar withdrew his protest, according to USATF spokesperson Jill Geer.
Also Monday, Hasay deferred her spot on the U.S. team, opening a place for Grunewald to compete at the world championships.
Races - Places, the USATF said CEO Max Siegel spoke Monday with Salazar and Paul Doyle, Grunewald's representative. The organization’s press release said, "Salazar made it clear that Hasay felt withdrawal was the right thing to do, and with the agreement of all parties, Grunewald was reinstated."
Hasay released a statement on her blog, which was included in the USATF release. She said, "As with all of the competitors who lined up on Saturday, I desperately wanted to make the team to represent the United States at the upcoming World Indoor Track and Field Championships. Since Saturday evening my emotions have ranged from despair to determination to go to Poland and represent my country as best I can. After much thought and consideration, however, I have decided to withdraw my protest as I do not want to make a national team under these circumstances."
Salazar added in the press release: "My intention was what every coach wants - to advocate for my athlete. It was a physical race and when I saw the contact and the flag go up, I filed a protest. I appreciate Max's involvement and wish nothing but the best for Gabe and Shannon in Sopot."
The news is a welcome switch for Grunewald, a two-time cancer survivor who was disqualified in the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 1500. She learned of the DQ hours after the race that time as well. She was reinstated the next day - the day of the finals - and placed fourth.
Monday evening, Grunewald tweeted her reaction: "Just touched down in MN & thrilled to see news of my reinstatement. I hope this unfortunate situation can be avoided in the future."
Grunewald returned home to Minnesota from Albuquerque on Monday night tired but happy after a day of travel and vindication.
"As of (Sunday) and when I woke up early this morning (Monday), I wasn't hopeful," Grunewald said in an interview with Runner's World Newswire. "Everything that happened yesterday was not a good sign."
Grunewald said Monday night that Doyle had told her in the late morning that after arbitration papers were filed earlier in the day, it looked possible that she would regain her spot. But Grunewald was traveling all day, eventually her cell phone went dead, and she still hadn't read the USATF press release confirming that Hasay had withdrawn from her spot on team USA.
Grunewald expressed hope that controversy surrounding the race would spark conversation.
"There's a lot of people out there outraged," Grunewald said. "There's a lot of momentum to turn this around and I hope this isn't the end of the conversation. I hope there will be more communication with the organization and athletes, agents and coaches to look at the process and make sure it doesn't happen again. I hope USATF is part of the process."
Vaughn praised Hasay's withdrawal.
"I think we still need more answers, but we should celebrate this victory," Vaughn said. "All is as it should be as far as results from the Championships. But I hope it doesn't pacify everyone. We need to follow through.
"I'm proud of (Jordan). I think she handled it the right way."
Here is a timeline of how the events played out over the last three days (all times are Mountain Standard Time):
Saturday
• 3:31 p.m. Women's 3000 starts with 13 participants.
• 3:39 p.m. On the turn after the start of the bell lap, Gabe Grunewald and Jordan Hasay make contact as Grunewald passes to move into second place. Official raises white flag.
• 3:40 p.m. Grunewald crosses finish line in first place, followed by Shannon Rowbury, Sara Vaughn and Hasay.
• 3:45 p.m. Head official meets with official at the turn. They determine no foul has occurred.
• 3:50 p.m. Hasay's coach, Alberto Salazar, protests the race result with USA Track & Field, claiming Hasay was fouled.
• 4:20 p.m. Protest is denied by meet officials. Salazar asks Jury of Appeal to take up the matter.
• 4:50 p.m. Jury of Appeal rules that no foul has occurred. Results posted as official, with Grunewald first and Rowbury second.
• 8:30 p.m. Jury of Appeal considers "enhanced video evidence" and overturns its original ruling. Grunewald representatives protest the Jury of Appeal reversal. USATF says the Jury's verdict is "final."
Sunday
• 1:53 p.m. Women's 1500 starts with a 15-woman field that doesn't include Rowbury, Grunewald or Hasay.
• 1:58 a.m. Doyle files Section IX arbitration papers with USOC.
• 7 pm. Initial discussions with US Olympic Committee representatives don't resolve situation. USATF decision stands. Grunewald's agent Paul Doyle states he will file for arbitration on Monday morning.
Monday
• 9 continued to respond to the controversy.
• 2:59 p.m. USATF press release announces Grunewald reinstated as 3000 meter champion. Grunewald and Rowbury will represent the U.S. at the IAAF World Championships in Sopot, Poland, March 7-9.
continued to respond to the controversy The 2025 Marathon and Half Marathon Calendar The Best 1 Mile Races to Add to Your Calendar.
A petition started by Nathaniel Saviet of New York City, who planned to send it to Siegel, garnered 1,214 signatures in less than seven hours after it was posted Monday morning prior to the announcement of Hasay's withdrawal.
The petition claimed that "The USATF has provided no open and transparent process to support the disqualification of Gabriele Grunewald ... It is absolutely essential that this information be released to the public to allow the sport of track and field to move away from abject corruption and bring the focus back to the athletes."
Saviet, who says he is the boyfriend of runner Lauren Penney, was surprised at the response, saying he decided to start it while eating breakfast this morning. He said the signatures were an expression of frustration by distance-running fans who want what is best for the sport.
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