Mexican Runner Ana Gabriela Guevara Retires

by patgarcia | January 16, 2008 at 04:56 pm

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Beloved and admired mexican gold medalist will not go to the olimpics! When asked about her message to the children that admire her she said " there is cheating and corruption in Mexican Athletics Federation and I won't participate in it".

[q
url="http://sportal.com.au/other-sports-news-display/guevara-runs-into-retirement-41744"]"It
was a personal decision after a lot of years of impunity," Guevara told
a press conference on Thursday.

"My career has been always clean. In all these years I have forced myself to be at the top and I have worked very hard."

"I
feel dismayed, offended; the little hunger for glory I had left
disappeared after Osaka, when I had access to a lot of information
about the board's performance."

The silver medalist from the
2004 Olympics in Athens added: "My retirement is definitive. I don't
want to carry on. There is no chance of setting anything up because I
lost my confidence in them."[/q]

[q
url="http://www.sportsya.com/english/news.php/Rafael_Martinez_referred_to_Ana_Guevaras_retirement_and_corruption_accusations.html?id_estruc=283&id=168756"]17-01
| 16:37 hs. Rafael Martinez said "Ana is right most of the time",
especially "regarding to several sports agencies, from the smallest ot
the biggest, they are all politized; unfortunately for the ones
involved in sports, they are not doing things right".

Former
Race Walking commissioner Miguel Angel Sanchez, who was substituted by
former Conade chairman Raul Gonzalez, also referred to Guevara's
decision. "We agree with her in all her statements".

During
an interview with La Jornada, he said that most of the trainers
involved in last Osaka World Cup agree with the fact that Mexican
Athletics Federation (FMA) chairman Mariano Lara "had a cold attitude
there, something he has been doing for so long".

[/q]

Former
world 400 meters champion and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Ana Guevara
has retired from track and field after recently denouncing corruption
in the Mexican Athletics Federation.

Guevara, considered
Mexico's greatest athlete ever, made the announcement at a news
conference Wednesday. She said that she was retiring because of
problems she faced in 2007, when she requested the removal of Mexican
Athletics Federation head Mariano Lara.

The 30-year-old said
she could not be part of the Mexican delegation and stay true to her
beliefs. Mexico's National Sports and Culture Commission is
investigating Lara for mismanagement of funds. However, track and
field's world governing body has endorsed him.

Guevara said
she was disillusioned with the system in Mexico, but still would like
to run for her country. She said she did not want to run in the Beijing
Games without a country.

Mexican Runner Ana Gabriela Guevara Retires

Mexico, Jan 16 (Prensa Latina) Disappointed by the situationof sports in Mexico, 400-meter runner Ana Gabriela Guevara said on Wednesday that she would retire.

Speaking on the TV program Los Protagonistas, the runner said she was determined to retire, although weeks ago she had expressed excitement about the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara.

The lack of support from the CONADE (National Sports Commission) and its indifference about her struggle to have FMA (Mexican Athletics Federation) President Mariano Lara resign to his post have influenced her decision.

In September 2007, Guevara, an Olympic medalist and winner of three world medals, including a gold medal, began a struggle to improve the conditions of Mexican athletes by sending a letter signed by most participants in the World Championship in Osaka, Japan.

The letter, in which they denounced the FMA's lack of interest, was sent to the CONADE, which has remained silent.

Guevara conditioned her participation in the Olympic Games in Beijing in August on Lara's resignation, although she did not stop training, hoping that the problem would be solved anytime.

On November 6, 2007, CONADE Attorney Jose Luis Valle announced Guevara's accusations of Lara for alleged fraud and embezzlement.

In December, CONADE President Carlos Hermosillo said the National Sports System does not recognize Lara as the FMA president.

A brave decision indeed.

(Also, Danielle Goyette, Canada's most illustrious female hockey player, is retiring after 16 years of hitting hard)

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