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.
As someone else asked, what would have happened if Thorpe had a bad cramp early in the race, and ended up 3rd at the trials (instead of false starting)? Would the selection committee still decide to give him a spot?
It's obvious that Thorpe is at the top of his game, so it won't bug me if he's at the Olympics. I'm just worried about the next time the issue comes up. Suppose that there is a less qualified swimmer that the selection committee likes, who is picked over a less popular (but faster) swimmer?
As someone else asked, what would have happened if Thorpe had a bad cramp early in the race, and ended up 3rd at the trials (instead of false starting)? Would the selection committee still decide to give him a spot?
It's obvious that Thorpe is at the top of his game, so it won't bug me if he's at the Olympics. I'm just worried about the next time the issue comes up. Suppose that there is a less qualified swimmer that the selection committee likes, who is picked over a less popular (but faster) swimmer?
