If I am reading this right, Swiminfo.com is reporting that Craig Stevens is indeed going to back out of the 400 and leave it up to Australia Swimming to "pick another member of the Olympic Team" to swim that race in Athens. If I am ANY other country, swimmer, the 3rd place finisher at the Trials or an organization interested in ethics, then I am raising a stink on this one!!!! Thorpe DQ'd and the Aussies are going to skirt the rule and get him in anyway. They would be relegated to the status of Ben Johnson, Rosie Ruiz, and the 60+% of MLB who are on steriods! This is FREAKIN' UNBELIEVABLE. I have no respect for any of the aforementioned and if this happens, none for Ian Thorpe and the Australian swim federation (or whatever official name they hide behind) are in that seeming, stinking pile.
Parents
Former Member
You guys (Aquageek, Shaky, Sam) are absolutely right. These aren't laws we are dealing with. They are rules put in place to form a selection process to find the best individuals possible to represent your country. A governing body can set them up, update them, and modify them any way they'd like. My issue is that the process they used and have used for years worked (in theory, until Thorpe had his momentary problem with gravity). The best two athletes (who remained on their feet) finished the race and earned the right to swim at the Olympics. Except that the best guy in the race (AND world) didn't get one of the two spots (because of the aforementioned boo-boo). Now, AFTER THE RACE HAS BEEN COMPLETED, they decide that their own rules don't work and they are going to change them to suit their needs. To the dissenters who say that we are bitter b/c no one can touch Thorpe and this helps us: would ANYONE down there care if Stevens fell in, got deeked, and Thorpe and Hackett went on to go 1-2? No. They only want to bend the rules (I know, that they set) to help themselves. It doesn't feel right. Sorry. Oh, and don't tell me that Stevens is in this decision by himself. The "powers" are sitting on him and screwing this kid up inside something fierce. Aquageek, you are a world class cynic (that is why you are so enjoyed here!!), so I know that you won't be swayed, (or care for this next one) but there really SHOULD be something to be said for the so-called "Olympic Ideal," not to mention "dancin' with the girl that brung you."
Sorry Karen, I've always had the image of Nancy and Carrie crying on the awards podium etched in my brain and I locked on Sippy for some reason.
You guys (Aquageek, Shaky, Sam) are absolutely right. These aren't laws we are dealing with. They are rules put in place to form a selection process to find the best individuals possible to represent your country. A governing body can set them up, update them, and modify them any way they'd like. My issue is that the process they used and have used for years worked (in theory, until Thorpe had his momentary problem with gravity). The best two athletes (who remained on their feet) finished the race and earned the right to swim at the Olympics. Except that the best guy in the race (AND world) didn't get one of the two spots (because of the aforementioned boo-boo). Now, AFTER THE RACE HAS BEEN COMPLETED, they decide that their own rules don't work and they are going to change them to suit their needs. To the dissenters who say that we are bitter b/c no one can touch Thorpe and this helps us: would ANYONE down there care if Stevens fell in, got deeked, and Thorpe and Hackett went on to go 1-2? No. They only want to bend the rules (I know, that they set) to help themselves. It doesn't feel right. Sorry. Oh, and don't tell me that Stevens is in this decision by himself. The "powers" are sitting on him and screwing this kid up inside something fierce. Aquageek, you are a world class cynic (that is why you are so enjoyed here!!), so I know that you won't be swayed, (or care for this next one) but there really SHOULD be something to be said for the so-called "Olympic Ideal," not to mention "dancin' with the girl that brung you."
Sorry Karen, I've always had the image of Nancy and Carrie crying on the awards podium etched in my brain and I locked on Sippy for some reason.
