Jesus Montiel, and Ignacio Fontes, one of his most talented athletes, have had a long morning. The news broke in the early hours of the morning, shortly after the World Cup was to begin in Oregon, USA. Fontes was not on the list, much to everyone’s surprise. His trainer, still incredulous about the RFEA’s decision, attends IDEAL. His track record is the reason Adel Mechaal was chosen in 1,500 metres (and also in 5, 000). He was below Fontes in his last test. This is how Jesus Montiel lived it.
They sent me the list, but I didn’t believe it at the time. Ignacio called me depressed, broken and crying for a federation without heart. Jose Peiro, the coach, called Montiel to inform him that his athlete was not going. He had all the criteria met and was trying to find out why his athlete was not going on the date you’ve been working so hard for. I haven’t spoken to the coach and a former player in the midfield told me he didn’t know anything. However, that same person later told Fontes another …”, slide the Granada coach who is sad and depressed.
He repeats incessantly, “Fontes doesn’t deserve this,” to fit the narrative of the selectors. Mechaal is a better performer than Fontes, even though he has never beaten him in the national exam. Fontes is only 24 and Mechaal 31. Ignacio should have a better curriculum in seven years. That is what we are going try, he says. It is a mistake to compare the accomplishments of one person with the other, when there is nearly a decade between them. Mechaal was already running at 5,000 meters. He was not going to be leaving without the World Cup. And he would arrive fresher at 5,000 than competing for either. Montiel insists that his coach said that he was only preparing for the 1,500. However, he is fourth in the World Cup.
Montiel admits, however, that there was pressure from the federation in the hours before the list was published to ensure that Mechaal completed the double feat with the 5,000 meters and the 1,500 meter. He adds that “we know that Ignacio Fontes wasn’t on the list up until a few weeks ago.”
It was deemed that merit is the only way it could be. He explains to IDEAL what criteria the federation used to award the World Cup ticket. It is an injustice. You had to first have the minimum world record. Mario Garcia didn’t have it but he was champion of Spain. The condition is to meet the minimum. It is inexplicable why he does not go, no matter how champion he may be, he starts with the first requirement to fulfill. There were many more. He also pointed out that Fontes with 24 is more likely than any other 31 athlete to attend the Olympic Games. Montiel also mentioned that Fontes and Mechaal were Olympic finalist. An aggravating circumstance is the fourth requirement to qualify for a World Cup. The fourth requirement is that you demonstrate your fitness at the Spanish championship. Fontes was third, and it was mandatory to take part. He closes by beating Mechaal, fourth
Montiel, almost with tears in his eyes, says farewell. It is cruel, inhuman, and a great lack of heart to exclude an athlete like Ignacio from the World Cup. He is always a gentleman on track. I don’t understand everything. He sadly says that he hopes this will be rectified. He says that the decision was made by the coach and the athlete “almost as if it were a personal attack.” “Fontes has done better and met all criteria. “He wields what is called sportsmanship and camaraderie. It hasn’t been.
