Quote Originally Posted by Roadrunner View Post
Alty/NoEAA or whoever made the exception here that sets the president for so many other athletes. In a legal case I am sure anyone can run for whoever they want after the let Nick Leigh break the rules to run for P&B in fell events. Alty seem to have an active fell section at the club and lets face it, the old Chairman of the FRA runs for Alty as well. I can remember when Alty were highly placed in the UKA Fell Relays. So stating lack of competitive running is a load of bull.
We had Gilby run for us who runs for Derby. I am not sure if they have a fell section or what and I dont care. After they let Leigh run for P&B how can they possibly contridict this rule for one and not for all? I have no problem with anyone who ran the relays or for what team. Its rather interesting that someone else didnt ask Rick to come run with them as hes a good runner, always racing but never seemed to get the respect from Sale an athlete deserves.

I tend to agree with your position Roadrunner in that the authorites seem to have made these exceptions and I am sure that their precidents that they seem to have set with Nick Leigh, and with Michael Hunt Pendle/Trafford have blown holes in the structure that is supposed to be in place.

But it needs to be clarified. We at Blackburn have several decent endurance athletes that train with our group, but we have not been "tempted" to run them in events that they are not clear to run in. In the Red Rose and Mid Lancs XC Leagues for example, Lee Passco is a N/C and declared as such, which will adversely affect our overall position.
This will continue to be the case until such a time as he is cleared.

It would be interesting if a protest is lodged at a major event such as a Northern 6 stage, or FRA Relays, to an "ineligible" athlete, how it would be handled.