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
You guys really need to move on. His false start is irrelevant at this point. He's participating on his team by his country's rules.
So, as you can see, despite his false start, he will swim. He's not breaking any rules, not a single one.
I don't think anyone is arguing that he is breaking a rule, just that it all seems shady. Why have trials if you are going to pick who you want anyway? Just pick your team by rankings and don't have trials. What happens in 4 years when someone else does this, and maybe does not have the name and quality Thorpe has, and says "Well you did it for Thorpe, now do it for me". I think Australia may be setting themselves up for future problems. Of course, that is Australia's problem, not anyone elses.
And yes if he did not swim, everyone would say that whoever won the gold in the 400 would not have really won if Thorpe had swum. So now that won't happen.
Karen, having a just turned 11 year old daughter, I sympathize. They only hear what they want to hear!
Thorpe FALSE STARTED!
Originally posted by aquageek
You guys really need to move on. His false start is irrelevant at this point. He's participating on his team by his country's rules.
So, as you can see, despite his false start, he will swim. He's not breaking any rules, not a single one.
I don't think anyone is arguing that he is breaking a rule, just that it all seems shady. Why have trials if you are going to pick who you want anyway? Just pick your team by rankings and don't have trials. What happens in 4 years when someone else does this, and maybe does not have the name and quality Thorpe has, and says "Well you did it for Thorpe, now do it for me". I think Australia may be setting themselves up for future problems. Of course, that is Australia's problem, not anyone elses.
And yes if he did not swim, everyone would say that whoever won the gold in the 400 would not have really won if Thorpe had swum. So now that won't happen.
Karen, having a just turned 11 year old daughter, I sympathize. They only hear what they want to hear!
Thorpe FALSE STARTED!
