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.
Sure I want to see Thorpe swim the 400 free! Who doesn't. It just seems wrong to me to allow him to push out a swimmer who actually swam the event at the Australian Trials and earned his spot. If he chooses to step down on his own merit, then fine. I hope they are not pressuring him just so they can get their "Golden Boy" in the Olympics. But, as their lawyers have "translated" the "guideline" it is their right to designate who will replace him. It just seems a little "Clintonesque" to bend the rules and stretch the meaning of words to your liking to get the results you want. :rolleyes:
Sure I want to see Thorpe swim the 400 free! Who doesn't. It just seems wrong to me to allow him to push out a swimmer who actually swam the event at the Australian Trials and earned his spot. If he chooses to step down on his own merit, then fine. I hope they are not pressuring him just so they can get their "Golden Boy" in the Olympics. But, as their lawyers have "translated" the "guideline" it is their right to designate who will replace him. It just seems a little "Clintonesque" to bend the rules and stretch the meaning of words to your liking to get the results you want. :rolleyes:
