John Steffensen's Rant.

John Steffensen or Anthony Mundine? .. I can't tell the difference.

Report - News.com.au

He we go again, it's all about colour with these blokes. When they just don't quite cut it and miss out on the team, it's all about race. .. "They didn't pick me because of the colour of my skin."
Steffensen's rant on channel nine this morning sounded just like Mundine's when he failed to make the Australian rugby league side. "It would be a different story if I was white."
Please.. you just weren't good enough guys. Both great athletes and near the top in your fields, but there is someone just that little bit better. Live with it.
Cathy Freeman, Johnathan Thurston, Sam Thaiday, Gordon Tallis, Mal Meninga, just to name a few in the same arenas, didn't seem to have a race problem when representing their country.
I think you'll find guys, that if there are any underlying reasons, other than your ability, for your failure to reach certain heights (which I'm sure there is not), it may have something to do with the giant chips on your shoulders and your mouthy attitudes. There's and old saying .. "You'll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar"

The afore mentioned superstars are universally loved by their fellow Australians, where as you guys seem to have a slight popularity problem. As an avid sports fan and a past competitor, I can guarantee you it has nothing to do with colour.

In the case of Steffensen, who keeps quoting rules and assuring us that he is a stickler for them. The rules allow Australia to have one spot in the individual 400 metres. I would imagine that this is to allow us to enter someone at our discretion if we believe that it is worth while, either with a chance of reaching the finals or with a view to experience for someone who has the potential to become an Olympic champion.
Now that would not be John Steffensen, he has had his day in the sun. But it is Steve Solomon.

There are those, such as former Olympian David Culbert, who believes that Solomon could become the best 400m runner in the world and at lease be a factor this year in London.

29 year old Steffensen has struggled with an injury hampered Olympic preparation this year where as Solomon ran a personal best time in Barcelona yesterday .22 of a second off an Olympic A standard time. 

With this in mind, Athletics Australia would have been fools to take Steffensen just to make up the numbers and prove they are not rasicist. Young Solomon deserves the chance and Steffensens support.