Anthony Treacher takes in the view atop 14,200-foot Mount Yale, Colorado, in a visit July 17, 2005. He prizes his ascent to 4,200 meters, he says, “as much as my WMA silver medal.” But he faces a chilling ban by his national association for pursuing a case against the British team manager at Linz.

ANATOMY OF A DEBACLE

British record holder claims
offenses by team manager

By Ken Stone 

Anthony Treacher was troubled. It was March 20, 2006 – the final day of the WMA world indoor championships in Linz, Austria. And Treacher  – the British indoor M65 record holder at 400 meters and silver medalist in that event at Linz – was due to anchor his country’s 4x200 relay. But first he had to prevent the British team manager from illegally substituting a runner and likely disqualifying the GBR relay quartet.

Here’s how Treacher recalled the Linz confrontation:

“An M65 Great Britain relay team of John Seymour, Arthur Kimber, John Newcombe and (myself) was due to run,” Treacher wrote in a June 3 formal complaint to the BMAF, his national track federation. “Due to a deplorable moving forward of the timetable, through no fault of his own, Newcombe was not available at the Call Room. Eric Horwill kindly volunteered to fill his place. This was at the last minute, but thanks to very accommodating Call Room officials (Britain) was able to document a full relay team. The officials then formally escorted the documented GBR team of Seymour, Kimber, Horwill and Treacher to the competition area.

“While the relay team was on the track preparing for the relay, Newcombe joined us. British Team Manager Maurice Doogan had found John, told him he could still run in place of Horwill and somehow illegally escorted him onto the track past the Call Room and track officials. I would also have preferred John to run, but I was acutely aware that we would be disqualified for changing the team. I was also engaged in motivating the existing team. I therefore argued against John running for us. I believe the team concurred with me.

“Noticing Doogan about to leave the competition area, I ran up to him and explained that I was against the team being changed back to include John because the team would certainly be disqualified. Doogan responded to the effect: ‘You are going to do a lousy performance anyway. It will be somewhat better if John runs. Take a chance on nobody protesting. I will back you.’ No chance. The prospect of running a relay only to be disqualified was intolerable.

“I then returned to the team and told them what Doogan had said. I reiterated my position that it was inadvisable to replace Howell with Newcombe because we would definitely be disqualified. I believe the team concurred with me. Newcombe, unfortunately, then had to leave the track. I maintain now that this was a better option than the ignominy of John being hauled in to explain; the entire GBR relay team being disqualified; the team being told to leave the track; and a GBR disqualification for irregularities being announced on the (loudspeaker).

Treacher leads eventual winner Willi Scheidt of Germany in the M65 finals of the 400-meter dash at the Linz world indoor championships in March 2006. Scheidt topped Treacher, 63.05 to 63.55. Tom Phillips photo

“While I was explaining to the team on the track, Maurice Doogan came up to me again and in full view of the spectators at the World Championships and probably on video, said: ‘You disobeyed my direct order. . . . . I am your team manager.’

“(I replied):  ‘And you are a very bad team manager. Go away.’

“Doogan: ‘You are an asshole. You will never again run in a British relay team.’

“As expected, the officials prior to the start checked that our numbers and names corresponded with the sheet from the Call Room. They did. We then ran the M65 4x200m relay (taking fourth in 2:17.82).

“I wish to express my appreciation of the members of the M65 4x200m relay team, which included two M70s, and John Newcombe for their conduct under very trying circumstances.

“Later the same day I approached Maurice Doogan, proffered my hand and said: ‘Let’s forget the whole thing.’ Maurice Doogan refused to shake my hand.”

And for not taking Treacher’s hand, Maurice Doogan – track and field secretary of the British Masters Athletic Federation – reaped a whirlwind that shook up his national association and could rock World Masters Athletics as well. It also may lead to Treacher (which rhymes with TEACHER) being banned from all British and international masters meets.

  

By mid-November, after failing to get BMAF to take action against Doogan, or even investigate, Treacher summarized the incident at Linz in a note to me.

Treacher wrote:

“In my wildest fantasy, I could never have imagined that my own national athletics association, the BMAF, could possibly question my actions at Linz, while ignoring my criticism of British Team Manager Maurice Doogan. For this I blame myself. In March I did not realise it would come to this. I was then naive and not sufficiently precise in my ‘Incident’ document. Here therefore is a more precise summary of my complaints:

• Doogan illegally entered the competition area, past the Call Room officials. This is not permitted by IAAF and WMA rules and praxis.

• Doogan illegally took into the competition area an athlete who was not on the Final Call Room List. This is not permitted by IAAF and WMA rules and praxis.

• Doogan, illegally in the competition area, illegally advised the British M65 4x200 team to replace a person on the Final Call Room List with an athlete not on the Final Call Room List. This is not permitted by IAAF and WMA rules and praxis.

• Doogan . . . wrongly advised and pressured Treacher to break the IAAF and WMA rules, by arguing that the illegal switch would not be noticed and that the team should ‘chance it.’ This is contrary to all IAAF and WMA rules and praxis. It is unsportsmanlike conduct. It is cheating.

• British Team Manager Doogan  . . . unprovoked, wilfully singled out and picked on Anthony Treacher, who was simply one of four relay athletes who had agreed to adhere to the rules. This is bullying and unsportsmanlike conduct.

• Doogan  . . . wilfully harried and criticised Anthony Treacherfor upholding the rules. This is contrary to all IAAF and WMA rules and praxis.

• Doogan . . . argued that Anthony Treacher disobeyed his ‘direct order.’ Doogan thereby ignored that his ‘order’ was neither direct, nor legal, that there were other relay team members and that the British Team Manager was in no position to issue (illegal) orders when he was illegally in the competition area.

• Doogan . . . shouted at Treacher, who was legally on the track and about to run an already problematic relay race, ‘You are an asshole.’ This is gross and insulting. It is unsportsmanlike conduct.

• Doogan, when later approached by Treacher who offered his hand saying ‘Let’s forget the whole thing’ -- refused Treacher’s hand. In the British social context, this is the ultimate insult. It is also a strange way for the British Team Manager to treat his own British masters athlete who, despite injuries, had done his best for the British team throughout at Linz. It is unsportsmanlike conduct.”

  

Treacher had taken fifth in the 60 and 200 and won silver in the 400 at Linz, and was offended by his team manager’s behavior in breaking the rules and insulting him. He wrote to many officials, including those at British clubs, seeking redress.

In late November, he phoned Friedel Schunk, chairman of the WMA Laws and Legislation Committee, he said, to “give the Establishment one last, fair chance to get its own house in order.” Treacher argued the case of unsportsmanlike conduct against Doogan and sent  Schunk his summaries and other supporting material.

In an email to Schunk, a German, he wrote: “You asked me ‘what satisfaction do you want?’ Well, all this took place in a ten-minute window in the competition area of a prestige WMA event. It may be for the WMA to seek satisfaction from someone.

“Personally I want my complaints/statements answered item for item. I want to know whether I was right or wrong to have acted as I did at Linz. If I was right, I want the WMA to recommend that the BMAF Committee discipline Maurice Doogan and rebuke (BMAF Chairman) Winston Thomas for his fallacious arguments and for deliberately trying to cover up the matter. If I did anything wrong at Linz, I want the satisfaction of being told that too.”

But by insisting "no politics and no evasions please" on Nov. 16 Treacher may have pushed one too many Schunk buttons.

The upshot?

Schunk wrote Treacher:

“It is a pity, for a long time, the matter has not been resolved. While organisations try to cater to hundreds or thousand of ‘clientele,’ an individual may sometimes have the tendency to think that the whole world revolves around his own pet project. The championships are supposed to be fun for all involved, including those who organise them – without pay. Please put things into perspective. Also accept the fact, that not everybody may be perfect, or as perfect as you think you are.”

It was finally getting too much for Treacher.

Earlier, he wrote me: “I would really like to encounter an honest person with guts and integrity in the masters athletics hierarchy. But I know at heart that the WMA will also avoid the issues and sweep the matter under the rug. . . .  I hope then you will help me do whatever it takes to expose these unpleasant individuals who disgrace our masters athletics community.”

In fact, Treacher contacted Dave Clingan and me as almost a last resort, asking: “Was this an unusually serious incident, as I feel? Or is it business as usual for master athletics and I should forget it? 

He continued: “What should I do? Or what can I do? Since March, my own body the BMAF has consistently hushed the matter up. The BMAF is in total denial about the salient facts (does not address them at all) and in time-honoured fashion ‘shoots the messenger’ – me.    Can/should I appeal to the IAAF or the WMA (taking into consideration that the BMAF chairman is also the WMA secretary)?”

He concluded: “You guys must have seen a lot of equally nasty dealings in masters athletics. I would be grateful if you would venture your opinion on this one. It is pretty lonely out here.”

In this case, “here” was not Britain.

Treacher, married to a Swede since 1961, competes for the Swedish club IFK Lidingo and is retired with two children and two grandchildren. He has competed “between work, illness and injuries. I had/am still treated for a minor blood condition and I am very allergic in the summer.”

Treacher asserts that he had no prior conflict or grudge with Maurice Doogan, “to my knowledge, which did not preclude Maurice Doogan (from) being annoyed with me for some reason. . . . . Anyway, I asked a BMAF Committee member to specify what my prior grudge could be. This BMAF Committee member replied – in all seriousness – that the BMAF Committee found that I was angry at Maurice Doogan because of his prior e-mail ruling that I may not run in my Swedish first claim club vest at the earlier Cardiff British indoor championships!!! And that is the cause of the whole dispute! QED. My fault. Dismiss the complaint. Close the case.

“I have never ever heard such nonsense in all my life. Me ‘angry’ for that? This is the ultimate stupidity. I just cannot fathom I am involved in this demeaning process and with such low people.”

Treacher recalls a phone conversation with Winston Thomas, the BMAF chairman and WMA secretary, recalling his pursuit of “the truth and redress. I got absolutely none. I could not appeal against his decision to the BMAF or to the WMA . . .  . Instead I was shouted at . . .  to the effect that it as indeed possible at Linz for Maurice Dougan to replace a relay team member with someone not on the Final Call Room List. That was not impressive.”

On Nov. 13, 2006, Treacher wrote BMAF President Paul Dickenson:

“Mr. Dickenson,

“I was disappointed that you ignored my initial, tentative attempts to solve the Doogan Linz business back in March. You preferred to sweep the matter under the carpet. That gave a very bad impression. It coloured my already jaundiced (thanks to Maurice Doogan) attitude (about) the BMAF from the start.

“The BMAF’s subsequent neglect of this disgusting business has not increased my confidence in any BMAF official. That is unfortunate. We could have solved this informally and painlessly back in March 2006. You should have given Maurice Doogan an ultimatum: “Either you apologize to Anthony Treacher. Or you go.” That would have satisfied me. Instead the BMAF chose a lying and dishonourable path.

“On reflection, I may also have myself to blame. In trying hard to present the Doogan Linz business in a honest, neutral and objective fashion, I was not explicit about the essentials of the overall complaint about the conduct of Maurice Doogan at Linz. As far as the BMAF is concerned, I was also naive as to the nature of the people I was dealing with. Because, to my surprise, nobody from the BMAF has approached me for any information whatsoever on the subject, ever.

“For the record therefore, I attach my original complaint Incident involving British Team Manager Maurice Doogan at the World Masters Indoors, Linz dated 2006-03-27 (formally submitted in June), plus now a more explicit document "Summary ref Incident......." dated 2006-11-12. The latter objectively clarifies the implications of Maurice Doogan's actions at Linz in the context of the IAAF/WMA rules and praxis. Although, as professionals, the BMAF could have easily arrived at the same conclusions with the information available and by talking with the people involved.

“If there is anything incorrect in either document, or if there are any complaints about me in connection with the Linz business, please inform me now. But I wrote that long ago to the BMAF secretary Ms. (Bridget) Cushen. And it was ignored. It is only right that I have an opportunity to refute any ridiculous falsehoods before they are again cast in stone in strange letters from BMAF chairman Winston Thomas.

“Please do not let the BMAF sideline the basic complaints against Maurice Doogan by attacking me again. This time maybe for my action in drafting those apologies on the BMAF's behalf on a black/white version of the BMAF notepaper? I can well understand that BMAF people are hurt and petulant. But it doesn't matter. They will get over it. We must move on. I deserve an apology. And my draft apologies on behalf of the BMAF and Winston Thomas are actually very good, aren’t they? Read them carefully. They are on the ball, obviously better than BMAF people can write. They are what the BMAF should have written long again. And I can re-send them on plain paper if the BMAF prefers.

“Do not either come and say that I show disrespect for the BMAF. I know. I do disrespect the BMAF. But then, has the BMAF earned my respect? Indeed, has the BMAF shown me any respect? Would you like to be treated like the BMAF has treated me?

“I will be in the London area from the evening of Wednesday, November 29 through the evening of Tuesday, December 5, 2006. If anyone wants a civilized pint with me, please send me your telephone number and we can have a chinwag about something constructive for a change. My mobile number is . . . . This offer also extends to my chum Maurice Doogan, who relatively speaking (relative to other BMAF people that is) is getting progressively more attractive by the hour.

“All the best,

“(Signed) Anthony Treacher, M65 (Linz: fifth 60m, fifth 200m, silver 400m, British M65 400m record holder) and BMAF-designated "Asshole" – now it’s official)”

  

On Nov. 20, Treacher wrote me:

“As we all expected, the WMA’s Friedel Schunk refuses to entertain my complaint against Maurice Doogan for rule-breaking and unsportsmanlike conduct at the world masters indoors at Linz. I have therefore resigned from my BMAF-affiliated UK club. I no longer wish to compete for my country wearing a British Masters Athletics Federation vest. I will not risk more of the same. The Brits make me feel sick.”

He then summarized the situation again:

This whole business has the following logical components:

1. Maurice Doogan breaks the rules and insults me at Linz. I try (to) shake hands.

2. I ask BMAF President Paul Dickenson how to file a complaint. I wait two months. He does not reply, avoiding the issue.

3. I file a formal complaint to BMAF Secretary Bridget Cushen (copied to all the BMAF-affiliated clubs for safety's sake). Cushen assures me that all complaints are handled seriously and that she will be in touch with me. I wait three months. I hear nothing. I assume “sweeping under the rug.”

4. So I give up. I send an “I opt out” letter to Bridget Cushen (copied to all BMAF affiliated clubs).

5. Three days later Winston Thomas sends me a formal BMAF letter officially closing the matter. It does not address the Doogan question and accuses me. I talk to him on the phone. He then sends an email saying that he now has new information and that I may be offered an apology after a BMAF Committee Meeting in November. I feel better.

6. I send the BMAF and Winston Thomas a proposal for what their two apologies should look like -- their own draft apologies penned by me on a black/white version of their own BMAF paper. I feel even better.

7. The BMAF Committee about Maurice Doogan is held. No information to me at all. No apology.

8. I ask a BMAF Committee member if I will be getting an apology. Nope, they closed the matter. My draft apologies were the last straw. Anyway, the committee says I had instigated the Linz affair because I had a prior difference with Doogan because I could not run in my Swedish club vest at Cardiff.

8. I send an e-mail to BMAF (President) Paul Dickenson about him originally ignoring my complaint against Maurice Doogan. No reply.

9. I contact Friedel Schunk for a serious discussion of the rules. He responds with nonsense including an unprovoked and entirely irrelevant personal insult: “Also accept the fact that not everybody may be perfect, or as perfect as you think you are.”

10. Schunk closes the case. He has confirmed that Doogan broke the rules but despite that Schunk will not take up the case.

11. I resign from British Masters athletics. I am happy again. And my Swedish wife is delighted.

  

Treacher later confessed to me:

“Yes, by resigning from my local British club I cannot compete for GBR again. But to be quite honest I do not want to -- unless this could be resolved in an honourable way. I feel sick at the very idea of putting on the GBR vest again. And would I really enjoy meeting Maurice Doogan and Winston Thomas again at the Helsinki European Indoors 2007?

“Resigning is a very good move. I am a free man to do what I like. I can never again feel insulted and pressured by snidey threats that I am offending people and that I will lose my BMAF membership if I don’t shut up and stop behaving like a little wimp about a silly little insult that happened eight months ago.  . . .

“Just one thing more, when I received Winston Thomas’ (Sept. 11) letter I was very doubtful myself about the legal basis of my own arguments. So I asked the WMA and then Linz organiser Percy Hirsch for an interpretation of the rules about substituting with someone not on the Final Call Room List. I heard nothing in return from the WMA.”

Not hearing from people had become common for Treacher, who wrote me:

“I got confirmation of my e-mail resignation to my UK club returned stamped *** SPAM ***. They did not reply to a previous e-mail either. Being a little naive, that came as a shock. But I now take it to mean that there could be lot of UK athletes (or rather UK club officials) out there who think I am a jerk for pursuing this at all.

“As this saga developed, I did send copies of materials to the BMAF-affiliated masters clubs to keep them informed. I also asked them to tell me if they did not want ‘unsolicited mail.’ Nobody did. Most welcomed being informed -- now maybe they wanted material to hang me with. So there are probably a lot of UK club people who think I am a jerk too. Hopefully, not so many athletes. It’s the athletes I respect.”

  

On Nov. 21, Treacher wrote me about email he received from BMAF President Dickenson that included the following: ;‘In addition, your initial request was not ‘ignored,’ so before you ‘go off on one’ (or more!), please get your facts right.”

So Treacher parried that with his own comeback (for my eyes):

“OK the facts -- Dickenson did not respond to my e-mail of March 22. Nor did the BMAF after my June complaint, until I prodded them in September. If my initial request was not ignored, what happened to it? I am not clairvoyant. Maybe ask Paul Dickenson later?

“As usual with these people, Dickenson does not address any of my points. And why does this miserable sod think he can write in that derogatory tone to me? These people are all the same, cloned from rather unpleasant common DNA. Something is wrong in masters athletics.”

Treacher, a multilingual former IBM employee and businessman living in Stockholm who has an economics degree, has been retired since 2004.

I asked him recently: If you quit BMAF, might you be able to compete for Sweden?

He replied: “I would have to be a Swedish national. When I talk to my Swedish masters athletics friends about this story, they all say, ‘Good heavens! Why don’t you run for Sweden instead?’ It would be funny if the actions of the British Team Manager at Linz eventually resulted in me becoming a Swedish masters athlete. But no thanks. From now on I will happily compete for myself.”

  

But recently, Treacher reconsidered his resignation from BMAF, writing me:

“I had canvassed three committee members of my BMAF-affiliated club, SCVAC, as to whether they wanted me back and they all did. So I was preparing for the European Masters at Helsinki. However, now comes the BMAF’s final word. It’s complete nonsense. A misrepresentation of the facts.

“You must admire the way the Winston Thomas plays to the gallery. All that talk about me being hard on voluntary officials. Maurice Dougan is a paid consultant to the BMAF. He gets away with it completely. Maurice Doogan is laughing all the way to the bank.

“Also every effort is made to make me appear ‘confrontational.’ But hallo. I am the insulted party who initially swallowed my pride and offered my hand to Maurice Doogan at Linz. I am the guy who already in March made a low-key approach on how to file a complaint to BMAF President Paul Dickenson and . . . was ignored. As all my approaches to the BMAF have been. Not a mention of that. Not a mention of Maurice Doogan’s very serious transgressions of the WMA rules either. Winston Thomas and the BMAF therefore condone all that. And Winston Thomas is to be technical director at Helsinki.”

  

On Jan. 10, Treacher wrote Thomas and Dickenson:

“It is now confirmed that the IAAF is investigating the situation. In all well meaning I ask the BMAF to rescind immediately its ultimatum to me. That would allow me, as reigning British M65 indoor champion at 60m, 200m, 400m, LJ and British M65 indoor 400m record holder, to apply to run for GBR at Helsinki before it is too late. It would present the BMAF in a better light. Rescinding the ultimatum is in the better interests of our sport. We can then regroup and reconsider the situation.”

To which Thomas replied the next day:

“Regardless of the IAAF, all you have to do is apologise for your behaviour to BMAF and you can compete as you wish. Till this happens from the 15th January the you will be formally suspended from entering International competitions under BMAF.”

Treacher's response?

A brief one, but to the point.