False Start in the Sunkist Meet Costs Foster His World Record

Greg Foster’s time for the 60-meter high hurdles race at the Sunkist Invitational track meet last Friday night at the Sports Arena will not be submitted for world-record recognition because of a false start, the records chairman of The Athletics Congress said Monday.

Bob Hersh said that at least three of the five runners in the race--Foster, Renaldo Nehemiah and Milan Stewart--made a false start.

Foster, who won the race in 7.36 seconds, well under the listed world record of 7.47, doubted Monday that he had a false start.

“I can’t say whether it was a false start,” he said. “I don’t feel I false-started. I was the last or next-to-last out of the blocks. It should be a world record.”

Hersh, who reviewed television tapes of Friday’s race at his New York home Sunday, said: “There is no doubt in my mind that Foster false-started.

“Since it wasn’t recalled at the start, the race stands. But the record will not be allowed.”

In another Sunkist meet development, The Athletics Congress also said that sprinter Stanley Floyd should not have been permitted to compete in the meet because his eligibility has not been restored.

TAC chief Ollan Cassell in New York said his assistant, John Jackson, had notified the office of meet director Al Franken of the ineligibility of Floyd and other current or former professional athletes. Franken denied he had been contacted by TAC.

“No one ever discussed it with us,” Franken said.

Floyd, a wide receiver, signed NFL contracts with Atlanta, Houston Detroit between 1983 and 1986, but never played in a regular-season game.

Possible action against Franken, Cassell said, could include withholding sanctions of his meets.