andy norman
Geen tijd voor middelmatigheid.
Op de IAAF-site lees ik de volgende inleiding: “It is with sadness that the IAAF has learnt of the sudden and tragic death of Andy Norman”. In alle beschouwingen ontbreekt dit. Bedroefd is de term van de IAAF family maar de Britse bakermat kent Andy Norman anders.
Andy Norman (GBR) died earlier today (September 24th ) having just returned to the UK on a flight from Stuttgart, Germany where over the weekend he had been working as the IAAF Advertising Commissioner at the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final (22/23).
Andy Norman was the former promotions officer for the British Athletic Federation, the forerunner to UK Athletics, the present IAAF Member Federation for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Since his departure from the federation in 1994, he had been a meeting promoter in South Africa and Eastern Europe, had worked as an Advertising Commissioner at numerous Grand Prix meetings in the last two decades, and was currently listed as a ‘Race Agent’ by UK Athletics (bron: IAAF).
Former athletics chief Norman dies, kopt de Daily Mail en zet vanaf de eerste zin de toon:
“Andy Norman, a controversial figure who ran British athletics in the Eighties when it competed with football for media coverage, died on Monday on his return from the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. He had been working for the IAAF as their advertising commissioner.
Norman, 64, was fired in 1994 from his £65,000-a-year job as promotions officer of the British Athletics Federation, the national governing body, after a coroner said that allegations of a sexual nature he made against Sunday Times athletics writer Cliff Temple were a contributing factor in the journalist's suicide”…knip
The Telegraph begint met de feiten en schuift de smeuigheid naar alinea twee:
“Andy Norman, the former promotions officer of the defunct British Athletics Federation, died yesterday on his return to England from the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. He was 64.
Norman was at the centre of one of the sport's biggest controversies in 1994 when he lost his position with the BAF after allegations that his behaviour had played some part in the suicide of Sunday Times journalist Cliff Temple.
Although Norman had no official role with the sport in Britain after that, he remained a key ''manager" for many athletes and was one of the most recognisable faces at any major meeting. He had been working for the International Association of Athletics Federations in Stuttgart as their advertising commissioner during the two days of the World Athletics Final at the weekend”…..knip.
The Guardian zet anders in en komt als enige direct met de bekend ex van Norman op de proppen:
Andy Norman, once touted as the most powerful man in British athletics, died yesterday as he arrived back in Britain after a weekend working at the world athletics final in Stuttgart.
Norman, 64, who was married to the former javelin world record holder and world champion Fatima Whitbread until the couple split almost three years ago, remained one of the key figures in the sport worldwide.
He had lost any official status in Britain 13 years ago after he was dismissed from his position as the promotions officer at the British Athletic Federation after the coroner implicated him in the suicide of Cliff Temple, the former Sunday Times journalist. Yet Norman had an important role in the sport both in Europe and South Africa and during his career represented many of Britain's top athletes including Jonathan Edwards, the triple jump world record holder, and Kelly Holmes, Britain's double Olympic gold medallist……knip
The Times pakt het allemaal bondig in:
Controversial race agent Andy Norman dies, aged 64
Andy Norman, the promoter who oversaw British athletics’ golden era before his controversial exile, died suddenly yesterday at the age of 64 after returning from the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. The former policeman had been working for the IAAF, the sport’s governing body, as an advertising commissioner in Germany.
Norman cut a swath through the athletics scene of the 1980s, when the sport played to packed stadiums and there was a list of stars who were household names. As a manager-cum-agent, many athletes signed up with Norman, including Steve Ovett, Linford Christie, Jonathan Edwards and Colin Jackson. He later married another, Fatima Whitbread, the javelin thrower, and the pair had a son, Ryan.
Renowned as an astute and skilled operator, his tenure at the top ended under a cloud when it was alleged that he had threatened to spread malicious rumours about Cliff Temple, the Athletics Correspondent of The Sunday Times, if he did not stop an investigation into Whitbread’s business dealings. Temple, who was depressed after the break-up of his marriage, committed suicide in 1994. A coroner said the threats made by Norman contributed to Temple’s death. Three months later, Norman was dismissed from his job as promotions officer at the British Athletics Federation, the predecessor to UK Athletics, although he remained involved in the sport.
In 1998, he bailed out the organisers of the European Championships in Budapest as they struggled to put on the event. Since then he has been running regular meetings in South Africa and Eastern Europe, as well as working for the IAAF. He was still listed as a race agent by UK Athletics and his experience meant that he was used widely by athletes and broadcasters.
Having ruled the roost during the halcyon days, Norman had strong views about where British athletics had gone wrong. “In those days, first was first and second was nowhere,” he said. “Now we are asked to celebrate mediocrity.” ….knip
Andy Norman, de allom en altijd tegenwoordige priemende ogen bij enige wedstrijd van importantie, was voor een groot deel van de atletiekvolgers een arrogante en eigenwijze klootzak. Echter, je kon bijna niet om hem heen. Zeker niet eind jaren tachtig en begin negentiger jaren. Maar ook de laatste tijd was zijn harde hand en vinger in de pap bij velen voelbaar. Altijd waren er verhalen rond hem. Vaak met een tikje afgunst want vaak ging het om veel geld. Zijn huwelijk met Whitbread kwam voor velen als een verrassing. En dat ze een kind kregen helemaal. Ik zeg bewust een kind kregen want de geruchtenmachine werkte op volle toeren en al snel verspreide zich de mare dat ze het hadden ‘geadopteerd’. Want zo wilden de geruchten ons doen geloven; het was een verstandshuwelijk (zaken voor het meisje maar dan anders) en Whitbread zou helemaal geen kind kunnen baren (zie welk postuur ze als speerwerpster had en wat ze daarvoor had moeten doen).
In Zuid Afrika kwam ik hem een keer tegen bij de ABSA-reeks en ik had een startplaats nodig. “Dutch athletics is nothing, come back when you have champions”, was de duidelijke boodschap van Andy. Uiteindelijk kon de atleet wel starten maar wel op een ander nummer en in een ‘ongunstige’ baan.
In Osaka strond hij in de VIP ruimte op bijna elk moment van de dag op een strategisch punt. Zodat elke echte VIP wel langs hem moest en hij elke zogenaamde VIP in de gaten kon houden. Na een gezellig praatje en een koud watertje met Jonathan Edwards ( bij het WK aanwezig als IAAF ambassadeur en voor de BBC als verslaggever) vroeg deze aan mij: “You know Andy Norman, don’t you, please tell him I need to talk to him”. Want Andy wist wel wat er speelde in de atletiekwereld en iedereen wilde het van hem horen.
Hoe je Andy Norman ook op je netvlies hebt, zijn dood kwam onverwachts en zijn plaats in de atletiek kan niet makkelijk worden vergeten.
Op de IAAF-site lees ik de volgende inleiding: “It is with sadness that the IAAF has learnt of the sudden and tragic death of Andy Norman”. In alle beschouwingen ontbreekt dit. Bedroefd is de term van de IAAF family maar de Britse bakermat kent Andy Norman anders.
Andy Norman (GBR) died earlier today (September 24th ) having just returned to the UK on a flight from Stuttgart, Germany where over the weekend he had been working as the IAAF Advertising Commissioner at the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final (22/23).
Andy Norman was the former promotions officer for the British Athletic Federation, the forerunner to UK Athletics, the present IAAF Member Federation for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Since his departure from the federation in 1994, he had been a meeting promoter in South Africa and Eastern Europe, had worked as an Advertising Commissioner at numerous Grand Prix meetings in the last two decades, and was currently listed as a ‘Race Agent’ by UK Athletics (bron: IAAF).
Former athletics chief Norman dies, kopt de Daily Mail en zet vanaf de eerste zin de toon:
“Andy Norman, a controversial figure who ran British athletics in the Eighties when it competed with football for media coverage, died on Monday on his return from the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. He had been working for the IAAF as their advertising commissioner.
Norman, 64, was fired in 1994 from his £65,000-a-year job as promotions officer of the British Athletics Federation, the national governing body, after a coroner said that allegations of a sexual nature he made against Sunday Times athletics writer Cliff Temple were a contributing factor in the journalist's suicide”…knip
The Telegraph begint met de feiten en schuift de smeuigheid naar alinea twee:
“Andy Norman, the former promotions officer of the defunct British Athletics Federation, died yesterday on his return to England from the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. He was 64.
Norman was at the centre of one of the sport's biggest controversies in 1994 when he lost his position with the BAF after allegations that his behaviour had played some part in the suicide of Sunday Times journalist Cliff Temple.
Although Norman had no official role with the sport in Britain after that, he remained a key ''manager" for many athletes and was one of the most recognisable faces at any major meeting. He had been working for the International Association of Athletics Federations in Stuttgart as their advertising commissioner during the two days of the World Athletics Final at the weekend”…..knip.
The Guardian zet anders in en komt als enige direct met de bekend ex van Norman op de proppen:
Andy Norman, once touted as the most powerful man in British athletics, died yesterday as he arrived back in Britain after a weekend working at the world athletics final in Stuttgart.
Norman, 64, who was married to the former javelin world record holder and world champion Fatima Whitbread until the couple split almost three years ago, remained one of the key figures in the sport worldwide.
He had lost any official status in Britain 13 years ago after he was dismissed from his position as the promotions officer at the British Athletic Federation after the coroner implicated him in the suicide of Cliff Temple, the former Sunday Times journalist. Yet Norman had an important role in the sport both in Europe and South Africa and during his career represented many of Britain's top athletes including Jonathan Edwards, the triple jump world record holder, and Kelly Holmes, Britain's double Olympic gold medallist……knip
The Times pakt het allemaal bondig in:
Controversial race agent Andy Norman dies, aged 64
Andy Norman, the promoter who oversaw British athletics’ golden era before his controversial exile, died suddenly yesterday at the age of 64 after returning from the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. The former policeman had been working for the IAAF, the sport’s governing body, as an advertising commissioner in Germany.
Norman cut a swath through the athletics scene of the 1980s, when the sport played to packed stadiums and there was a list of stars who were household names. As a manager-cum-agent, many athletes signed up with Norman, including Steve Ovett, Linford Christie, Jonathan Edwards and Colin Jackson. He later married another, Fatima Whitbread, the javelin thrower, and the pair had a son, Ryan.
Renowned as an astute and skilled operator, his tenure at the top ended under a cloud when it was alleged that he had threatened to spread malicious rumours about Cliff Temple, the Athletics Correspondent of The Sunday Times, if he did not stop an investigation into Whitbread’s business dealings. Temple, who was depressed after the break-up of his marriage, committed suicide in 1994. A coroner said the threats made by Norman contributed to Temple’s death. Three months later, Norman was dismissed from his job as promotions officer at the British Athletics Federation, the predecessor to UK Athletics, although he remained involved in the sport.
In 1998, he bailed out the organisers of the European Championships in Budapest as they struggled to put on the event. Since then he has been running regular meetings in South Africa and Eastern Europe, as well as working for the IAAF. He was still listed as a race agent by UK Athletics and his experience meant that he was used widely by athletes and broadcasters.
Having ruled the roost during the halcyon days, Norman had strong views about where British athletics had gone wrong. “In those days, first was first and second was nowhere,” he said. “Now we are asked to celebrate mediocrity.” ….knip
Andy Norman, de allom en altijd tegenwoordige priemende ogen bij enige wedstrijd van importantie, was voor een groot deel van de atletiekvolgers een arrogante en eigenwijze klootzak. Echter, je kon bijna niet om hem heen. Zeker niet eind jaren tachtig en begin negentiger jaren. Maar ook de laatste tijd was zijn harde hand en vinger in de pap bij velen voelbaar. Altijd waren er verhalen rond hem. Vaak met een tikje afgunst want vaak ging het om veel geld. Zijn huwelijk met Whitbread kwam voor velen als een verrassing. En dat ze een kind kregen helemaal. Ik zeg bewust een kind kregen want de geruchtenmachine werkte op volle toeren en al snel verspreide zich de mare dat ze het hadden ‘geadopteerd’. Want zo wilden de geruchten ons doen geloven; het was een verstandshuwelijk (zaken voor het meisje maar dan anders) en Whitbread zou helemaal geen kind kunnen baren (zie welk postuur ze als speerwerpster had en wat ze daarvoor had moeten doen).
In Zuid Afrika kwam ik hem een keer tegen bij de ABSA-reeks en ik had een startplaats nodig. “Dutch athletics is nothing, come back when you have champions”, was de duidelijke boodschap van Andy. Uiteindelijk kon de atleet wel starten maar wel op een ander nummer en in een ‘ongunstige’ baan.
In Osaka strond hij in de VIP ruimte op bijna elk moment van de dag op een strategisch punt. Zodat elke echte VIP wel langs hem moest en hij elke zogenaamde VIP in de gaten kon houden. Na een gezellig praatje en een koud watertje met Jonathan Edwards ( bij het WK aanwezig als IAAF ambassadeur en voor de BBC als verslaggever) vroeg deze aan mij: “You know Andy Norman, don’t you, please tell him I need to talk to him”. Want Andy wist wel wat er speelde in de atletiekwereld en iedereen wilde het van hem horen.
Hoe je Andy Norman ook op je netvlies hebt, zijn dood kwam onverwachts en zijn plaats in de atletiek kan niet makkelijk worden vergeten.
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