Shock Of A Lifetime

A more complete account of the story has been posted on www.swiminfo.com.

Originally posted by SWinkleblech This is disappointing. Can someone explain why you get DQ on your first false start. Back in the "old days" it was similar to track. I think they used to actually allow three false starts, where the first two were charged to the field. I think the main reason for changing the rule is people jumped just to get in the water. In events like the 50 there were all kinds of false starts and it really slowed down meets. But man this news is a real shocker. I don't see how the Aussies can do a thing about it. If he's DQed he's out. You can't just make an exception because he's Ian Thorpe. I've got to believe Thorpe himself realizes this.

Originally posted by SWinkleblech We should be allowed some room for mistakes. I really don't think so. Not at this level. What, are you going to say a one handed touch in breaststroke is o.k. as long as you only do it once? The rules are the rules. Everyone know it's one false start and you're out.

Originally posted by SWinkleblech This is disappointing. Can someone explain why you get DQ on your first false start. I always thought this was unfair. In track doesn't the whole field get charged with the first false start and then if someone false started after that you get DQ? Why can't this be used in swimming? It would be a shame for on of the world's greatest swimmers not to be able to swim in one of his best events. We should be allowed some room for mistakes. It used to be this way. It was when I attended my first meet (as a spectator) many years ago. But I always thought it was a bit unfair. Imagine that we have 2 swimmers, A and B, and that A false starts on the first try, and B false starts on the second. Under the old rules, B would be disqualified while A would not, even though each had false started once. Of course, you can say that B should have been extra careful the second time, since there had already been a false start. But then the question becomes: Why can't every swimmer be extra careful the first time? How would you feel if they had allowed 2 false starts in this heat, and Thorpe had lost his balance the second time (but not the first)? Bob

I was so shocked at first. But having seen many reports about it, read everything there is to read, listened to many people I think the referee made the right decision. Its always tough to disqualify the best swimmer, but just with with Kristine Quance in 1996, the referee did the right thing. This sport is incredibly fair compared to subjective ones (synchro, diving, figure skating etc etc) and he appears to have violated a rule... I must congratulate the deck officials for doing what they thought was right and the meet jury for seriously considering the protest.

I have a question, as someone who has not seen the incident and am not a referee. How much judgement does the referee have? If someone steps up, immediately stumbles into the water (before "take your mark" could be said), would this person still be DQ'ed? If the starter says "stand up", you hold it for some time but do eventually fall off balance, is that also a DQ? (My solution is to do a slow track start. ;) )

Thorpe will be swimming the 400 at the Olympics. There is no question about it. Somehow they will find away. Perhaps the 2nd place finisher will elect to pullout of the event at the Olympics. In 2000 Grace Kim pulled out of the Olympics (tae-kwon-do) so that her training partner who she knew was better - could participate. I think that the second place finisher has every right to swim, but I really really don't think that will happen. I guess there is a possibility that thrope will swim a different event - the 1500? - which would be kind of cool.

On a related note, Hackett swam really really fast in finals, 3:43.35 I am pretty sure that only THorpe has been faster than that.

This is disappointing. Can someone explain why you get DQ on your first false start. I always thought this was unfair. In track doesn't the whole field get charged with the first false start and then if someone false started after that you get DQ? Why can't this be used in swimming? It would be a shame for on of the world's greatest swimmers not to be able to swim in one of his best events. We should be allowed some room for mistakes.

Originally posted by lefty Thorpe will be swimming the 400 at the Olympics. There is no question about it. Somehow they will find away. Perhaps the 2nd place finisher will elect to pullout of the event at the Olympics. In 2000 Grace Kim pulled out of the Olympics (tae-kwon-do) so that her training partner who she knew was better - could participate. I think that the second place finisher has every right to swim, but I really really don't think that will happen. If Australia follows the same selection rules as the U.S. -- which they seem to -- that couldn't happen. If the second place finisher dropped out, the third place finisher would move up (and then the fourth and so on). A disqualified swimmer wouldn't be in the "line of succession." As far as the "no false start" rule itself is concerned -- I started swimming when one false start was allowed. What happened then (which I think was the reason the no false start rule was adopted) was that swimmers were false starting intentionally to psyche out the competition. Not only did this break the concentration of the swimmers who didn't false start, it seriously delayed meets.