Should Vin Lananna Stay or Should He Go?

If I had to put up a bet, I’d wager that Vin Lananna resigns from his post as president of USA Track & Field in the not-so-distant future (even though he said he’s “still trying to sort it out”) after being placed on administrative leave. Why? The board doesn’t want him there and hasn’t since he got elected in 2016. Lananna is a threat to the establishment and they’re doing everything within their power (maybe even bending the rules?) to prevent him from being able to make a significant impact.

“Lananna came in as a change agent, and immediately began holding hearings across the country with the organization’s rank and file,” Ken Goe of The Oregonian wrote a few days ago. “No doubt this is threatening to the board, which seems intent on turning this into turf battle instead of embracing the potential change Lananna could bring to an organization badly in need of it.”

As I wrote last week, the athletes, fans, and the long-term viability of track and field as a professional sport are the ones suffering here. This latest move is evidence of USATF’s incompetency, insecurity, and arrogance, and further confirms how out of touch the board members are with the organization’s membership and the myriad problems plaguing the sport in this country.

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