Given all the debate in the other thread about Qatar "buying" up some of the top talent in swimming, my question is how many people feel the USA should do the same?
Hoogie & Thorpe for our 800 free relay?
Schoeman & Hoogie for our 400 free?
How about on the W's side, a couple of th Aussies maybe?
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No way. The US wouldn't do this. They don't have the funds to pay their current world class swimmers what they should so they aren't going to go out and recruit new swimmers. That being said. If I were a US National Team Member, I'd be pissed.
It is somewhat different for a country like Qatar to recruit. They don't have their own program, maybe this will help to develop that. They want to put themselves on the map. They also are getting athletes (at least thus far) from small countries without huge teams or even competitive teams. They aren't going to land a top level American or Aussie athlete. Those swimmers have far to much pride in their country to switch over. The Aussies also have tons of support - financial and fan. The US doesn't have as much, but I'd be surprised if a US based company sponsored US born swimmers that swim for another country.
I don't see this as equal to a college scholarship.
No way. The US wouldn't do this. They don't have the funds to pay their current world class swimmers what they should so they aren't going to go out and recruit new swimmers. That being said. If I were a US National Team Member, I'd be pissed.
It is somewhat different for a country like Qatar to recruit. They don't have their own program, maybe this will help to develop that. They want to put themselves on the map. They also are getting athletes (at least thus far) from small countries without huge teams or even competitive teams. They aren't going to land a top level American or Aussie athlete. Those swimmers have far to much pride in their country to switch over. The Aussies also have tons of support - financial and fan. The US doesn't have as much, but I'd be surprised if a US based company sponsored US born swimmers that swim for another country.
I don't see this as equal to a college scholarship.
