A DISAPPOINTED JOANNA MILLS has confirmed that she will not appeal the decision to oust her from Ireland’s 4x400m Olympic relay team.
In a brief statement issued through Twitter, the Ballymena youngster said that she would not be taking her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
“I’ve decided that even though I may have grounds to win the appeal I’m not going to take it to CAS!” Mills, 19, tweeted. ”I wish the 4×4 success at #London2012.”
Mills’ decision not to appeal removes any remaining question marks over Catriona Cuddihy’s place in Ireland’s six-woman squad for London. Cuddihy, 25, was reinstated yesterday after an Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) Appeals Tribunal upheld Athletics Ireland’s original decision to select her ahead of Mills.
Cuddihy joins her sister Joanne, Michelle Carey, Claire Bergin, Marian Heffernan and Jessie Barr in the Irish squad.
Joanna Mills is a class act. Wish her all the best in her athletic future.
Way to go Joanna Mills!
…Just a [pity you were treated disgracefully at so late a stage to the beginning of the Olympics.
That’s very big of her, but there’s no doubt that she was treated disgracefully. It should be the fastest times that qualify you for the team, certainly not the vote of team members, particularly not when one of those is a sister of a rival for the place…
If there was a vote of team members – there is elements of possible favouritism and/or cronyism.
If so thats a disgrace – but then cronyism/favouritism has been prevalent in Irish society big time for the last few decades – to the shame of all involved!
Joanna Mills got her place originally because she had better speed but dumped because one sister and her team mates voted another sister back in?
If so, they all should be ashamed of themselves!
She definintely beats Catriona Cuddihy in the looks department, swish swhoo!
Right decision and she is definitely an athlete for the future, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling her a class act. People were asked last March to sign a contract and to commit to undertake certain training & race events. She did not sign or commit and her reason was to concentrate on individual events. She should not have even been considered because she had a change of heart in December. It was wrong of her to try to take the place of someone who committed themselves from the start. Everyone has lessons to learn from this but the main one is if a commitment is required from an athlete then the athlete should get the same commitment from the sporting body not to favour a blow in. Hard lesson for Mills to learn but it should stand to her long-term and she should be a good addition to the team in 2016.
And do you then think it was fair to a low a team vote as reported on RTE 1 Radio? And did you read the girl’s response where she tried and failed to contact those in charge of the team before Christmas, leaving messages indicating her availability? According to her it was months before the team manager finally got in touch. Funny smell permeates the whole affair….
John, I agree with you that there is no innocent party in this affair and it was disrespectful not to contact Joanna in December, she should have been contacted and told sorry you can’t be considered for the team at this stage but I stand by the principle that if a commitment was asked for and given by anybody by a certain date and if they meet the commitments conditions then it is wrong to even consider somebody who comes along after that date. Yet, it was disrespectful not to contact Joanna and tell her that she can’t be considered.
Fair bowls to you girl…what a fiasco! a real sportswoman! Twill come around again!
Its a shame Joanna was treated so badly, and so close to the games she must be devastated. When the next olympics comes around she should tell the Olympic Council of Ireland to go f**k themselves and go for the UK team i bet they be glad to have her.