Clueless writing about our sport

[tandfman]

I've been meaning to do this for a long time. I regularly come across news articles that are hopelessly uninformed about some aspect of our sport. My reaction is usually just to shake my head in disbelief. But some of these examples of journalistic ineptitude are so egregious that they ought to be preserved for posterity, in order that others may share in the astonishment.

So here's one to start the thread. Please feel free to contribute other examples, but let's keep this to real howlers, not minor factual errors or things that are incorrect because of a technicality.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201312190846.html

RUNNERS Gerald Phiri and Titus Kafunda have been picked to represent Zambia at the International Associations for Athletics Federation (IAAF) 2014 World Indoor Championships to be held in Holland.

I hope they don't buy these guys plane tickets to Amsterdam. The meet is in Poland, not Holland.

[Marlow]

I regularly come across news articles that are hopelessly uninformed about some aspect of our sport. My reaction is usually just to shake my head in disbelief.

You are a dissembler, prevaricator and scoundrel! You are not the LEAST surprised at the most horrific journalistic blunders concerning our sport. You have experienced them as the the rule, not the exception, and have come to EXPECT it! :twisted:
The most common one involves the breaking of some record (or being a record-holder), when in truth, the athlete in question did/is no such thing. :roll:

[lonewolf]

A recurring annoyance is referring to the Sprint Medley as Spring Medley.

[gh]

There's a term for typing "spring medley" but I can't recall what it is. It's when your brain is so committed to typing a common word that when you type a similar one, you type the more common one without realizing it.

There are def. instances of spring medley having made it into the pages of T&FN.

In at least some cases, has nothing to do w/ clueless writing. It's brain betrayal.

[KevinM]

I've been meaning to do this for a long time. I regularly come across news articles that are hopelessly uninformed about some aspect of our sport. My reaction is usually just to shake my head in disbelief. But some of these examples of journalistic ineptitude are so egregious that they ought to be preserved for posterity, in order that others may share in the astonishment.

Unfortunately it's not limited to track. I see errors almost any time I read stories related to topics about which I am smarter than the average bear (e.g., track or my professional field).

[Blues]

Because of personal interests, one of my "favorites" is when some sports media articles that are intended for the general public discuss PED use and repeatedly state that because an athlete was tested numerous times (or recently) during in-competition testing and didn't test positive, it serves as adequate proof that the particular athlete doesn't use or hasn't used PEDs... I saw this in various media sources quite a few times during the past year.

[KevinM]

Because of personal interests, one of my "favorites" is when some sports media articles that are intended for the general public discuss PED use and repeatedly state that because an athlete was tested numerous times (or recently) during in-competition testing and didn't test positive, it serves as adequate proof that the particular athlete doesn't use or hasn't used PEDs... I saw this in various media sources quite a few times during the past year.

Unfortunately you see that assumption on track and field fan message boards as well.

[Daisy]

In at least some cases, has nothing to do w/ clueless writing. It's brain betrayal.

And don't forget autocorrect that can changes things without you noticing.

[booond]

In at least some cases, has nothing to do w/ clueless writing. It's brain betrayal.

And don't forget autocorrect that can changes things without you noticing.

And the T and G are above one another so fat-fingering the keyboard is an answer for that issue. What isn't an excuse is not editing your work. It is obvious that most Internet writing is not edited, even at the largest sites.

[Marlow]

And the T and G are above one another so fat-fingering the keyboard is an answer for that issue. What isn't an excuse is not editing your work. It is obvious that most Internet writing is not edited, even at the largest sites.

As a TOE I am used to immediately proofreading whatever I write, even here, yet invariably I find an error some time later. Nature of the beast.