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.
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Originally posted by aquageek
A couple of things:2. I may be totally mistaken here as I'm doing this from memory. I seem to recall in the 1996 or maybe 2000 Olympics that Carl Lewis DID NOT qualify for some relay but was put on it due to his popular status and desire to break some medal count for a single athlete over a career. It didn't bother me then and this doesn't bother me now. I'm sure there are countless other similar examples.
You are remembering it fairly accuratly, except Lewis did not end up on the relay. The US track team did not cave to the pressure. M Johnson ALSO wanted the spot. And then in the final the US ended up finishing 2nd to Canada.
PS: I think Gary Hall Jr has a shot at setting the All Time Olympic Gold record at this Olympics. Wait, maybe it is all time medals? I don't know.
Originally posted by aquageek
A couple of things:2. I may be totally mistaken here as I'm doing this from memory. I seem to recall in the 1996 or maybe 2000 Olympics that Carl Lewis DID NOT qualify for some relay but was put on it due to his popular status and desire to break some medal count for a single athlete over a career. It didn't bother me then and this doesn't bother me now. I'm sure there are countless other similar examples.
You are remembering it fairly accuratly, except Lewis did not end up on the relay. The US track team did not cave to the pressure. M Johnson ALSO wanted the spot. And then in the final the US ended up finishing 2nd to Canada.
PS: I think Gary Hall Jr has a shot at setting the All Time Olympic Gold record at this Olympics. Wait, maybe it is all time medals? I don't know.
