Wiping records ‘dishonours’ Flo-Jo – says Al Joyner, husband of late sprint champion

The husband of American sprinter vows to fight moves by international athletics chiefs which could erase her long-standing world records from history.

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US sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner waves the US flag after winning the 100 metre final at the 1988 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:25pm, 3 May 2017Updated: 9:48pm, 3 May 2017

The husband of late sprint queen Florence Griffith Joyner has vowed to fight moves by international athletics chiefs which could erase her long-standing world records from history.

Al Joyner, the 1984 Olympic triple jump champion who was married to the sprinter from 1987 until her sudden death in 1998, said attempts to invalidate world records set before an as-yet-undetermined date were unfair.

Joyner, 57, told the Wall Street Journal he was frustrated “to see how someone with a stroke of a pen, can go change history”.

“That’s dishonouring my family,” he told the paper. “I will fight tooth and nail. I will find every legal opportunity that I can find. I will fight it like I am training for an Olympic gold medal.”

Bob Kersee (left) former coach of Olympic gold medallist Florence Griffith Joyner, stands alongside Griffith Joyner’s husband, Al Joyner, who has said he will fight any attempt to erase his wife’s records from the history books. Photo: AP

Under rules set to be considered by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in August, existing world records would only be recognised if achieved at approved international events and if the athlete concerned had been subject to an agreed number of doping control tests in the months leading up to the performance. A sample taken afterwards also would have to be available for retesting for 10 years.

European Athletics Council president Svein Arne Hansen said the move was aimed at removing “the cloud of doubt and innuendo that has hung over our records for too long”. IAAF president Sebastian Coe is also backing the proposal.

Wiping records ‘dishonours’ Flo-Jo – says Al Joyner, husband of late sprint champion

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The husband of American sprinter vows to fight moves by international athletics chiefs which could erase her long-standing world records from history.

The husband of American sprinter vows to fight moves by international athletics chiefs which could erase her long-standing world records from history.