Since lens with high focal distance are generally not that fast
Cheap lenses aren't that fast. Here's a 400mm 2.8 lens for $12,000 And if that's not enough here's a 200-500mm 2.8 for over $20,000
Even if you add a 2X extender that's still 5.6 at 800 or 1,000mm. That's not that bad when you're shooting in good daylight conditions.
And of course that's assuming you're shooting from a long distance. This is just one option to shoot wildlife. Another is to turn into a hunter. Camo, scents, lures, bait, blinds, etc. Combined with enough time and patience these people will get wildlife pretty close to them so they can use wider lenses.
That's not horrible. Remember, sports is fast moving and can be unpredictable at times. This isn't family portraits or passport photos, you can't control everything.