Coe was denied the opportunity of winning 3 Gold Medals in a row in the 1988 Olympics when the British Selectors did not give him the time to overcome injuries and therefore selected Cram and Elliot. Elliot won silver and Cram finished 4th. By the time the Olympics came around Coe was fit and running much faster than the Gold Medal winning time in Seoul. A disgraceful decision by the British selectors!!!
I have to disagree. Coe failed to qualify at the trials. It is as simple as that. He knew the rules as well as anyone at the time but thought that as a double Olympic Champion those rules didn't apply to him. And he was political even back then - getting his mates in the IOC to offer him a wildcard to bend the rules for him and nobody else. I for one am very glad that justice prevailed and Cie didn't get to go the Seoul Olympics. Would he have medalled if he has gone? Not sure ..At this time in his career, Coe had many off days and Cram and Elliott were far more reliable performers. Before the games I thought Cram was a shield in for 1500 gold - yet he came 4th and a "nobody" - Peter Rono won it with Elliott 2nd. My own take is that Coe would not have metalled in the 800 but the way the race went he could have stood a very good chance in the 15.
@brentmeistergeneral1054 Although we disagree on the qualification process, I do think that Coe would have had to be selective re running one or other event. I doubt he could do all the heats and win both. But with the benefit of hindsight, I do think he'd have won the 1500 and quite easily! Cram's career @ the very top was about 3 years, so shorter than Coes. He was done by then as his 4th place proved!
@@brentmeistergeneral1054 Actually, Coe was selected to run in the 800m by the selectors for the 3rd discretionary place, ahead of Elliott. Coe had already beaten Ereng (who went on to take gold in Seoul) twice that summer, had won easily at Crystal Palace a couple of weeks before the trials, and had a faster season's best (1:43.93) than Elliott did. When the meeting of the entire BAAB met the day after the Trials, the Head of the Board (Ward), who had issues with Coe re his role with the Sports Council, chose to take all the selectors choices, except that of Coe over Elliott for the 800m. He called for a vote of the whole board, and Elliott won by a single vote, thus reversing the decision of those paid to do so, the selectors. It was purely a political decision and an absolute disgrace that an individual could prevent the UK's greatest ever Olympian at the time, from competing in Seoul. Coe happened to go down with a chest infection at the Trials, so he was ill as opposed to unfit. This was 8 weeks before the Olympic 1500m final, so there was plenty of time for him to recover. Coe did not persuade or get his 'friends in the IOC' to bend the rules for him. The IOC President, Samaranch, put forward his own proposal that Coe, as reigning double Olympic champions, be given a wild card entry to compete. The reaction from his fellow 1500m runners, not surprisingly, was not in favour, despite the likes of Cram saying weeks earlier that he felt Coe should be there to defend his title. Clearly they thought Coe's presence would diminish their chances of victory! Had the reception to this proposal been more favourable, it would have happened. I have a strong feeling that had Coe gone to Seoul and just run the 800m, as the selectors had chosen him to do, He would certainly have won a medal, and with his experience I think gold was a possibility; Cruz went off far too fast, and Coe would have had the sense to hold back on the first lap. If he'd been allowed to run the 1500m, either on its own or after the 800m, I'm confident he would have won.
Coe wasn't on any drugs. The majority of drugs available in those days were usually Govt Doping Programmes as with East Germany, Czech Republic and other Eastern Countries. And most were steroids, better for strength events and building muscle which Coe definitely would not have benefitted from over 800, 1000, 1500 and the Mile. He was a stand out as a youth and then teenager. He was breaking records from 1979, a full 5 years before this race! His times improved gradually, NOT overnight as with athletes like El Guerrouj who was perfectly timed for EPO. You only have to look at how easily Morceli crushed him in his early days. It was no contest. Then all of a sudden Elg had improved by 5 and 6 seconds. Fishy, very fishy!!!!!
@@deanrobinson2459 Yes, but the damage outweighs the benefit for 1500 or Mile runners! Weight gain was the last thing Coe wanted. Every extra kg would have slowed down his main weapon, that extraordinary kick!
Joe Newton was a great man
Coe was denied the opportunity of winning 3 Gold Medals in a row in the 1988 Olympics when the British Selectors did not give him the time to overcome injuries and therefore selected Cram and Elliot. Elliot won silver and Cram finished 4th. By the time the Olympics came around Coe was fit and running much faster than the Gold Medal winning time in Seoul. A disgraceful decision by the British selectors!!!
I have to disagree. Coe failed to qualify at the trials. It is as simple as that. He knew the rules as well as anyone at the time but thought that as a double Olympic Champion those rules didn't apply to him. And he was political even back then - getting his mates in the IOC to offer him a wildcard to bend the rules for him and nobody else.
I for one am very glad that justice prevailed and Cie didn't get to go the Seoul Olympics. Would he have medalled if he has gone? Not sure ..At this time in his career, Coe had many off days and Cram and Elliott were far more reliable performers. Before the games I thought Cram was a shield in for 1500 gold - yet he came 4th and a "nobody" - Peter Rono won it with Elliott 2nd. My own take is that Coe would not have metalled in the 800 but the way the race went he could have stood a very good chance in the 15.
@brentmeistergeneral1054 Although we disagree on the qualification process, I do think that Coe would have had to be selective re running one or other event. I doubt he could do all the heats and win both. But with the benefit of hindsight, I do think he'd have won the 1500 and quite easily! Cram's career @ the very top was about 3 years, so shorter than Coes. He was done by then as his 4th place proved!
@@brentmeistergeneral1054 Actually, Coe was selected to run in the 800m by the selectors for the 3rd discretionary place, ahead of Elliott. Coe had already beaten Ereng (who went on to take gold in Seoul) twice that summer, had won easily at Crystal Palace a couple of weeks before the trials, and had a faster season's best (1:43.93) than Elliott did. When the meeting of the entire BAAB met the day after the Trials, the Head of the Board (Ward), who had issues with Coe re his role with the Sports Council, chose to take all the selectors choices, except that of Coe over Elliott for the 800m. He called for a vote of the whole board, and Elliott won by a single vote, thus reversing the decision of those paid to do so, the selectors. It was purely a political decision and an absolute disgrace that an individual could prevent the UK's greatest ever Olympian at the time, from competing in Seoul. Coe happened to go down with a chest infection at the Trials, so he was ill as opposed to unfit. This was 8 weeks before the Olympic 1500m final, so there was plenty of time for him to recover. Coe did not persuade or get his 'friends in the IOC' to bend the rules for him. The IOC President, Samaranch, put forward his own proposal that Coe, as reigning double Olympic champions, be given a wild card entry to compete. The reaction from his fellow 1500m runners, not surprisingly, was not in favour, despite the likes of Cram saying weeks earlier that he felt Coe should be there to defend his title. Clearly they thought Coe's presence would diminish their chances of victory! Had the reception to this proposal been more favourable, it would have happened. I have a strong feeling that had Coe gone to Seoul and just run the 800m, as the selectors had chosen him to do, He would certainly have won a medal, and with his experience I think gold was a possibility; Cruz went off far too fast, and Coe would have had the sense to hold back on the first lap. If he'd been allowed to run the 1500m, either on its own or after the 800m, I'm confident he would have won.
Steve Ovett > Seb Coe.
All day, every day.
I loved Ovett also, but the medals and Olympic Titles say differently. Coe is the greatest male athlete we've produced in my lifetime!
coe drugs? 1984 would be right in the mddle of it.
Coe wasn't on any drugs. The majority of drugs available in those days were usually Govt Doping Programmes as with East Germany, Czech Republic and other Eastern Countries. And most were steroids, better for strength events and building muscle which Coe definitely would not have benefitted from over 800, 1000, 1500 and the Mile.
He was a stand out as a youth and then teenager. He was breaking records from 1979, a full 5 years before this race! His times improved gradually, NOT overnight as with athletes like El Guerrouj who was perfectly timed for EPO. You only have to look at how easily Morceli crushed him in his early days. It was no contest. Then all of a sudden Elg had improved by 5 and 6 seconds. Fishy, very fishy!!!!!
@@KryptonitetoallBS steroids are certainly beneficial for middle distance recovery.
@@deanrobinson2459 Yes, but the damage outweighs the benefit for 1500 or Mile runners! Weight gain was the last thing Coe wanted. Every extra kg would have slowed down his main weapon, that extraordinary kick!