Thorpe Back in the 400?!?!!

Originally posted by tjburk If Australia had changed their selection process prior to the trials, I would agree with you 100%, the fact is, they didn't! Next person in line goes, not the person that DQ'd! That is anywhere you go! What selection process was changed? Provide the proof. As I understand it no process was changed, there is an interpretation over the "next-ranking" phrase. You cannot continue to dwell on a rule change that you cannot quote and cannot prove.

Originally posted by Shaky Now, don't some of you have a Little League referee to sue for a bad call on one of your kids? Bad example, Shaky. It's Thorpe who's getting back in the game on a technicality, instead of by swimming a race in the trials. (And I still think it's possible to want to see someone of Thorpe's caliber swim, but dislike how it is happening.)

I will agree the whole situation smells a little fishy. In today's sporting world, nothing is really above belief anymore, unfortunately.

I agree with who says that the Olympic Trials are only an instrument to help locally pick Olympic Teams, and therefore the application of certain guidelines (they are not rules, otherwise it would impossible for an athlete to participate to an Olympic Game if he or she were from a non-Olympic trial country. There are many, even with good swimming traditions that do not have strict Olympic Trials) is up an only up to the local Olympic committee. I'm not American but I have no trouble in saying that the USA is probably the only country that has the depth to justify having such strict standards for choosing their athletes. Not for other countries, though. Even Australia. If the UK is more strict that is their decision to take although personally I find it stupid to say the least to leave a medal prospect like Foster home. Besides, Stevens is already a member of the Aussie Olympic Team since he is qualified for the 1500 free. This plus the fact that he will probably take advantage of the hype around this story (and rightly so) through money, publicity, books or whatever, will anyway make Stevens a pretty happy guy relieving him of a pressure which he would undoubtedly feel if he were to swim the 400 free in place of an icon and star like Thorpe, a guy who is sure to win gold (any other mistakes allowing of course...). Many people tend to forget that the Olympic Games is the only occasion where our beautiful sport is in the limelight, meaning that only every 4 years everyone wants to watch swimming. My next door neighbor doesn't know anything about Olympic trials and Olympic Spirit and all the concepts that we "athletes" hold on to dearly. But he does know a few names. He has heard of the likes of Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps. And to deny the world of the spectacle of the 400 free with it's main actor included is probably a lot worse than denying Stevens the 400 when anyhow he probably has a better shot at a medal in the 1500. The bottom line is: there are no rules in the choice of an olympic team. Like it or not it is an arbitrary process left in the hands of the local Olympic Commitees.

Y'all are forgetting that Australia has rules and guidelines for selecting their team! They were in place prior to the Oly Trials! Thorpe screwed up! He's out! The next person in line steps up! If he doesn't go, then it's the next in line! NOT someone who DID NOT finish the race! One of the reasons they went to a single false start was to keep people from using it to eliminate competition before the race even started. I.E. if the guy next to me false starts once, and I haven't, I try and pull him off with me on the next one. If he goes with me on my false start, he's done because that's his second! Once they did away with the second false start you can't do that any more!

Hey Karen, I think Thorpe false started.

Oh, and the "team, country, world, and Olympics" didn't get up there and bust their a-s for 1:48 seconds after training for years for that moment to have it taken away. A DQ is not a technicality and the "team, country, world, and Olympics" didn't fall into the water. Thorpe did. He didn't earn the spot (when it was scheduled to be earned). If the O Trials there don't matter (for one or all), DON'T SWIM THEM. You do, and you face the same risks that everyone through history has in competition: there are no guarantees in sports (nor should there be). I believe that the "team, country, world, and Olympics" would get over not seeing Ian Thorpe swim a 400M freestyle...seems to me they collectively might have better things to do with their consciousness!

I say again! DQ = Disqualification/Disqualify - To make ineligible for a prize or for further competition because of violations of the rules. Can someone argue with this?

Originally posted by Shaky ..... I'm starting to wonder if some of you folks work for the DMV...:p Ouch! I hear what you are saying Shaky, but the whole thing still doesn't feel right to me. One thing for sure, whatever decission is made, it will be remembered for a long time. As in 20 years from now people will post on this board "I remember when the best swimmer fell off the blocks and...."

Originally posted by tjburk Y'all are forgetting that Australia has rules and guidelines for selecting their team! They were in place prior to the Oly Trials! Thorpe screwed up! He's out! The next person in line steps up! If he doesn't go, then it's the next in line! NOT someone who DID NOT finish the race! One of the reasons they went to a single false start was to keep people from using it to eliminate competition before the race even started. I.E. if the guy next to me false starts once, and I haven't, I try and pull him off with me on the next one. If he goes with me on my false start, he's done because that's his second! Once they did away with the second false start you can't do that any more! True, if we are talking of a medal awarding race. But here we are talking about assigning spots in an Olympic Team which is purely arbitrary and up to local "authorities". An there is a difference between a rule and a guideline. What do the Aussies have? Rules or guidelines? If you know please quote us something and I will consider changing my mind. In this context the false start rule has nothing to do with Australia Swimming's faculty in choosing who will swim what at the Olympics.