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.
To all of those who think Craig Stevens' is giving up his spot in the 400 for the money, I think you’re way off base. Craig is a 23 year old kid who has spent most of his life training for this one shot. I’m not sure how many of those of us posting here have truly dedicated ourselves that much to the singular pursuit of excellence. I doubt any one who has would ever sell their dream or even think anyone so dedicated would sell his.
Everything I have seen in the press leads me to believe that Craig’s decision was based on the tremendous pressure exerted on him from the media and others. Not based on his desire to selling his spot. And if it was for the money, there was an excellent chance Stevens’ would have placed in the event and definitely would have made a lot more money from swimming the 400 than he will from taking $75K to step down.
How did we get so cynical?
To all of those who think Craig Stevens' is giving up his spot in the 400 for the money, I think you’re way off base. Craig is a 23 year old kid who has spent most of his life training for this one shot. I’m not sure how many of those of us posting here have truly dedicated ourselves that much to the singular pursuit of excellence. I doubt any one who has would ever sell their dream or even think anyone so dedicated would sell his.
Everything I have seen in the press leads me to believe that Craig’s decision was based on the tremendous pressure exerted on him from the media and others. Not based on his desire to selling his spot. And if it was for the money, there was an excellent chance Stevens’ would have placed in the event and definitely would have made a lot more money from swimming the 400 than he will from taking $75K to step down.
How did we get so cynical?
