The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren

Author:Patricia Nell Warren [Warren, Patricia Nell]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2010-11-04T07:17:26+00:00

We fenced around for a while, trying to get them to see reason, to persuade them that they were meddling in an area that was none of their business. But they were more or less adamant. I could see that Flagstaad was disturbed (he wasn't a fanatic either), but he went along with Steinbock.

Finally I said pleasantly, "All right, let me put it this way. If the ban isn't lifted immediately, then we're going to take immediate legal action."

"That's your privilege," said Steinbock. "It's a free country."

"Is it?" I said. "When you guys can crush the careers of international-class athletes who have broken no written AAU regulation, is that freedom?"

"Nobody has ever contested a blacklist legally," said Mickey Reel.

"We can fight you as long and as hard as we like," I said. "We have one of the best civil-rights lawyers in the country. We have unlimited money to fight you in court. Two wealthy gays have decided that the boys are a cause worth supporting, and they have agreed to underwrite all the legal and activist costs."

They sat drinking their wine, thinking. The AAU does not have the money to fight long expensive court cases. It barely has enough money to run its athletic programs.

"We'll also call for the congressional committee on amateur sports to investigate the whole business," I said.

"Amateur sports are supposed to stay clean out of politics," Flasgtaad said quickly. "That's the basis on which we belong to the Olympic movement."

"This isn't politics," said Aldo. "It's civil rights. If you don't think you're answerable to the civil-rights laws, then you go tell that to all the black athletes in the AAU, and all the women."

"Then," I said, "we've got that federal law behind us. Maybe you don't know about the law. John . . ."

John sat smoking a little cigar and telling them about the Supreme Court decision, and how it would apply here. "You've put your blacklisting order on paper," he said. "I have a copy of it. So there's going to

be no doubt in a court's mind what is going on. They would see it as a black and white case."

They were all silent, listening, a little mesmerized by John's grim precise courtroom manner. Until just recently, AAU officials have had little to do with lawyers, because athletes did not seek legal redress—they just suffered.

"Now," John went on, "if the ban isn't lifted, the first thing we'll do is get a temporary court injunction against the blacklisting, pending a hearing. This means that you would have to let the boys run, and if you didn't, you'd be in contempt of court. Second, if we have to, we will file suit against the AAU and against all meet promoters who go along with your policy. And we will ask for big damages for the boys. Let's say, for instance, that we might ask for a million dollars each."

Again that silence, as they thought of the AAU's little bank account.

"Now obviously," said John, "you ought to check this out with your own lawyer.

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