Eat that.

[Shea]

Over here on the emerald isle, we have a certain Marcus Geoghegan, in whos view it is to take kids, who have run the yellow course with their parents and declared themselves non-competitive, and to remove there names off the results. Gone. Forever. No record of them existing on that course. The following reply, i am pround to say came from my very own father, who clearly, actually knows something about children:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/irish-ori ... ssage/3909

[DesignatedDriver]

nice. although it did bring back disturbing childcatcher images.

i hate that guy.

[Mrs H.]

How sad. If I took all the accompanied children out of my MADO results it would look like we'd had no-one there. The whole tenor of the directive if rather poor - like an instruction to someone on how to run a prison or something. the N/Cs must be wondering what kind of sport they are getting into.

Infact this week I was thinking about prize catagories for my forth-coming Malvern mini-league and decided that one of them would be the best family on each course - the very opposite of what is going on here.

[LostAgain]

[quote="Shea"]i am pround to say came from my very own father, who clearly, actually knows something about children:

Most bizarre!

What response did your father get, has Mr Geoghan replied?

Virtually all kids enter the sport through either running in pairs or being shadowed, it would be irresponsbile for Parents/Adults to let inexperienced kids enter the woods alone. To not aknowledge their presence at an event is bizarre.

[Shea]

Marcus is a bit of a prat, hes very arrogent, but he hasnt replied so far. We have however got several positive responses, so its looking up for the kids of tomorrow!

[Wendles]

Well done Shea's dad. My daughters began orienteering at a very young age. The jump from string courses to off string to 'proper' courses is a big one for little people so there was much accompaniment (good quality time too) and then shadowing before the hugely nervous first solo event when I worried that they would never re-emerge from the forest. They loved to see their names in print and it didn't matter where they were on the results sheet. The sport is bigger than this.

[Adventure Racer]

I'm a bit worried actually - should I have kept a record of who I helped out at MADO detailing exactly how much help I gave them so that they can be struck from the records? I've got photographic evidence of some of this dastardly cheating going on if necessary. I mean we wouldn't want to recognise the achievement of anybody who needed a little hint to make it round the white course would we?

[DesignatedDriver]

i must say, i am totally outraged.

i refuse to believe that this level of corruption exist in orienteering.

what next? the doping scandal? shall we drug test the white course just in case. you never know.

personally i reckon there should be a big bouncer at each start. he will then take any person trying to help a youngster on their first tender steps into the unknown, and best the snot out of them. its just not unfair to all the other professional orienteers, out to win the big prizes.

perhaps a lifetime ban should be enforced for any offenders? black listed from BOF. pictures posted at each event. i mean, these people could be at your local event! have you considered that? it could be the person next to you at the start....

i shudder to think where this sport is going.


(wheres the sarcasm emoticon....)