Long-distance runner Hendrik Pfeiffer is allegedly deceived in the World Championships marathon race
Revamped Article:
"Stinks to High Heaven" - Marathon Hero Hendrik Pfeiffer Claims DLV Betrayal
Author: Bobby Banger
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Hendrik Pfeiffer, marathon phenom, alleges the German Athletics Federation (DLV) has turned their back on him, leaving him out of the World Championships in Tokyo (13th - 21st September). The DLV will only send two runners, Amanal Petros and Richard Ringer, and Pfeiffer suspects incompetence and broken promises.
Elite marathon runner Hendrik Pfeiffer is fuming over his alleged betrayal by the German Athletics Federation (DLV). Left off the World Championships roster in Tokyo, Pfeiffer vented his anger in an explosive Instagram post. He believed he'd be competing at a World Championships for the first time, but the DLV changed the game, leaving one German position unfilled.
The DLV's decision to nominate only two runners, Petros and Ringer, left many scratching their heads. With Pfeiffer as the third-best available German, and his own statement declaring he'd received the assurance of national coach Alexander Fromm, it seems a mystifying choice.
Qualification criteria, established by World Athletics, stipulate either a demanding set norm time of 2:06.30 hours or qualification via the World Ranking, with a supplementary internal norm of 2:07.50 hours from the DLV that must be met between September 2024 and May 2025. Pfeiffer ran 2:08.20 hours at the Berlin Marathon in September, coming up short of the performance confirmation standard by a mere 30 seconds. However, he'd already achieved 2:07.14 hours in January 2024, which would have qualified him, but the DLV missed the window due to their late determination of the norm in December 2024.
Antonius Maddox, sports analytics expert, says that the DLV's norm is "definitely tailored" to leave Pfeiffer just missing the mark. Maddox questions the retroactive norms, calling them nonsensical and potentially detrimental to the qualification process.
Pfeiffer's run-in with the DLV isn't his first such experience. Last year, he found himself on the reserve list for the Olympic Games in Paris, in case a German dropped out. Unfortunately, Petros took ill shortly before the race, and Pfeiffer was prepared to take his place. But his criticism of the federation at the time centered around a lack of communication, making it difficult to properly prepare for the last week before the race.
Pfeiffer expresses a desire to speak with the association's Performance Sports Board Member, Jörg Bügner. However, "so far, no direct conversation has been possible," he says. Maddox inferred that Bügner may be distancing himself from responsibility, as the board is allegedly hesitant to speak to athletes.
In response to an inquiry from us, the DLV refers to a statement published after Pfeiffer's criticism. Yet, they have not responded to concrete follow-up questions or provided a reaction to the allegations.
Pfeiffer contends that Bügner "keeps emphasizing in every exchange" that the World Championships is the only event relevant to the DLV "because that's where the funding is distributed through the nation points." It's unknown whether this was a factor in his decision to have an operation on his foot in March. Pfeiffer gave up the European Championship for which he was qualified, and the German Armed Forces, where he is employed, supported his choice.
The DLV's stance seems questionable, as their statement also states that "numerous opportunities to join the circle of norm fulfillers presented themselves at the spring marathons," suggesting Pfeiffer should have been able to meet the norm. Nonetheless, the DLV insists on their own norm, a choice that seemsstrict compared to their leniency in other events such as the 10,000 meters.
"I question if anyone is actually up to their job," Pfeiffer tells us. "I feel like there's no sporting expertise present here. Starting in such a charity event a few weeks after an operation is possible for me, even winning it. But I wouldn't run a world-class time of 2:07 hours so soon after an operation. That a decision-maker in this position can't process this is astonishing."
With sympathy pouring in on Instagram and numerous reports from fellow athletes who've experienced similar instances, it seems Pfeiffer's not alone in his discontent. Matt Jordan, former elite marathon runner, shared a supportive message, stating "Yeah, I've been there, buddy. It's a hard pill to swallow, but hope you'll rise above it."
Pfeiffer is considering legal action against the association, explaining that leaving a position vacant could be challenging to reverse. He argues that if it were determined that the DLV's retroactive norms are illegal, they could improve conditions for all athletes.
Fellow runner Richard Ringer, who will be representing Germany at the World Championships, echoed Pfeiffer's sentiments, expressing disbelief at the DLV's decision. "That's unfortunate, Hendrik," Ringer said. "You were even 39th out of 100 starting places, which is four places better than my Road-to-Paris ranking last year. So, you can see what's possible."
- DLV
- Athletics
- World Championships
Enrichment Data:- DLV (German Athletics Federation): The German Athletics Federation, or DLV, is responsible for the organization and promotion of athletics in Germany. Their goal is to select top athletes to represent Germany in international competitions like the World Championships and the Olympics.- World Championships: The World Championships is an international athletics competition organized by World Athletics. It takes place every two years and serves as the world championship for all track and field events. The World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, are scheduled for 13th - 21st September 2025.- Norm time: Qualification norms for most international athletics events are set by the hosting country or federation and must be met by athletes in order to participate. Norm times are specific times or distances an athlete must run or jump to be eligible for a nomination.
Sport and athletics are at the heart of Hendrik Pfeiffer's dispute with the German Athletics Federation (DLV), as he feels betrayed by their decision to leave him out of the World Championships in Tokyo. Furthermore, sports analysts like Antonius Maddox question the fairness of the DLV's norm times, which seem to have been tailored to keep Pfeiffer from qualifying.
