Arbiters hear Team Major Taylor case

About 30 spectators spilled into the hallway in Franklin Hall yesterday at an arbitration hearing between IUSF and men's Little 500 team, Team Major Taylor. The team was disqualified in late March when it was determined by IUSF that freshman Joshua Weir had competed as a Category I or II rider and was ineligible to take part in the 2002 race.\nCompetition prior to Little 500 as a Category I or II rider in any other race outlaws participation in Little 500 events, according to IUSF eligibility standards. \nTeam Major Taylor lawyer, Greg Taylor, revealed at the hearing that Weir had competed among Category I and II riders but never upgraded his status from a Category III rider, which would enable him to participate. Taylor said Team Major Taylor asked if IUSF had any reservations with Weir prior to qualifications and received no reply. The team earned a third place finish at qualifications, with Weir riding two of the team's four laps. \nIUSF assistant director and Little 500 coordinator Alex Ihnen defended IUSF's stance during the hearing. Ihnen said Weir competed as a Category I cyclist under United States Cycling Federation standards, rendering him ineligible. \nTaylor said IUSF should have made a decision prior to qualifications in order for Team Major Taylor to have replaced Weir. Ihnen said IUSF has to enforce its rules, regardless of when violations are revealed.\n"If someone comes up to us the day before the race and is ineligible, we'll disqualify them," Ihnen said during the hearing. "My job is to enforce the rules and I'll do that to the best of my ability." \nThree arbitrators were chosen to determine the outcome; Terry Bethel, a law professor; Mike Wilkerson, an arts administration associate professor; and Craig Johnson, a SPEA associate professor. They suggested a compromise between the two sides could be reached. \nTeam Major Taylor made it clear if Weir is disqualified, the team will not participate in the race. \nThroughout the hearing, Taylor made the point that Team Major Taylor was not the only Little 500 team that could be deemed ineligible.\n"If the real reason that they brought this to arbitration was to hold up the integrity of the race, then I want them to do the same thing that they've done to our riders to other riders that we question as well," he said. \nAll four Team Major Taylor riders were present at the hearing. Freshman Devon Hoff-Weekes said IUSF unfairly investigated Weir. \n"They said they looked into five other riders and once they heard back from the governing body, that was it. Once they heard back from the governing body with Josh, they kept on looking into him. What does that say about IUSF"