The USA Track and Field organization is under intense scrutiny following what was supposed to be its premier event of the season. This year’s USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico ended on a sour note, with controversy surrounding both the men’s and women’s track events. What resulted was a drama-filled final that led to a call for change in the governing body from runners nationwide.

It all started with an apparent miscalculation. Brooks-sponsored runner, Riley Masters, was outraged when he was placed in the slower heat of the men’s 1,500-meter final, even though he had achieved the seventh fastest time, thus earning a place in the “A” heat. This sparked a social media frenzy, in which running fans echoed Master’s outrage, openly criticizing the USATF. When #FreeRiley became a trending topic on Twitter, the USATF decided to rectify the situation. Though they had hoped to move Masters to the “A” heat quietly, the move was not made without the runner raising questions about why the error occurred.

So, before the races even began, the debate about whether or not sponsor Nike has been leaning on the USATF was reignited.

The age-old question about Nike-sponsored racers receiving favoritism is one that goes back in the race circuit to 2008. That year, according to Competitor, Nike athlete Adam Goucher finished with the 32nd fastest time in the 10,000-meter at the US Olympic track trials but was granted admittance to a final race over non-Nike racers. This year, Masters noticed that while he was originally passed over, two Nike runners had made the “A” heat even though they had not achieved qualifying marks. So, though the USATF quickly relented, feelings of distrust loomed over the rest of the weekend’s events.

The major shocker came in the women’s 3,000-meter run on Saturday. The race had a dramatic finish, with Brooks-sponsored runner, Gabriele Grunewald, coming from behind to win the event in 9:23.15. As she celebrated her first-ever US title, however, Nike coach Alberto Salazar went to the USATF to raise an appeal. The question of whether Grunewald had impeded Nike runner Jordan Hasay was called into question.

The contact happened as Grunewald passed Hasay on her way to the front of the pack. The legs of the two runners made quick contact in the process, causing them both to stumble briefly. Grunewald was able to recover quickly, releasing a fierce kick that would spur her past her competition. Hasay would fall into fourth, with Nike athlete Shannon Rowbury finishing second in 9:25.49, followed by Sara Vaughn of Brooks coming in at 9:26.46.

Though the original ruling was in Grunewald’s favor, the issue was taken to a Jury, which then overturned its original statements and disqualified Grunewald.

“I was just trying to run and get around her,” Grunewald said in defense of the movement. “There was contact, but it was not intentional in any way.”

The official release stated, “Several protests were filed in relation to the women’s [3,000-meter] final. After two reviews, including enhanced video evidence, Grunewald was disqualified by the Jury of Appeals for clipping and impeding the stride of Jordan Hasay.”

The next day, after a swarm of complaints, the USATF released another statement supporting the Jury’s decision to disqualify Grunewald after what they deemed to be “a field-of-play infraction.”

Last night, in a stunning turn of events, Grunewald was vindicated, as the USATF reinstated her title. The decision came after fourth place runner, Hasay, decided to withdraw her protest.

“As with all of the competitors who lined up on Saturday, I desperately wanted to make the team to represent the United States at the upcoming World Indoor Track and Field Championships,” Hasay explained in a statement. “After much thought and consideration, however, I have decided to withdraw my protest as I do not want to make a national team under these circumstances.”

Grunewald will now take her place in the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships.

But the whole mess raises a lot of questions about the USATF and whether or not they are governing effectively. In one interview, Sara Vaughn, a former Nike runner who finished third in the 3,000 under her new Brooks sponsor, expressed her displeasure with the USATF to Runner’s World.

“Nike is the wrong enemy,” Vaugh said. “I think it’s the fact that the USATF went back on their ruling. Let’s get transparency. Let’s involve the athletes.”

You can view the video of the women’s 3,000 on the USATF website. The contact between Grunewald and Hasay is around the 10:10 mark.

Image and video courtesy of Athletics on YouTube