Swimmers Getting a Raw Deal

from Swimming World Magazine: Schoeman, Several South African Stars Facing Raw Deal from National Governing Body Several topics at play here... Personally, I find it hard to agree with making some exceptions for studs, but as these guys are essentially paying their own way on behalf of the country/swim federation, I agree that they're getting the shaft here. One could make a case that they're being slightly exploited. Perhaps Qatar will grand them citizenship and they can train with Duje. One hell of a 400 free relay. feel free to comment and post other examples of swimmers getting the shaft... Perhaps they can do like a few Cricketers and join my boys...we can always do with a few extra golds :D

I assume that the South Africans do not allocate funds for travel to their own Nationals.

I was unaware that Duje had taken Qatar's offer.

Jeff as a foreign born observer, my opinion is that there is no way in hell the US would not pay for your swimmers to travel, and if by some remote chance that did happen, there'd be outcry and soon corporations lined up to pay for the athletes and grab some media time. To me that's the difference between here and other countries where it is much more left up to the individual to get themselves around and manage with typically much less sponsorship. Or at least only the very top get serious help, which usually means the up and comers go without.

Jeff, In Ryk's case... he is competing at the Nationals, so his funding is safe. In the case of "big name" swimmers, I agree with you. USA Swimming pays the travel for all of our National Team swimmers to go to the Nationals... IF THEY CHOOSE TO. They are not required. Now granted, the USA has more money to go around and all the travel is not international, but in the case of Schoeman, you would think that Swimming SA would have the ability to step up and spend some money. Schoeman showed his true colors in turning down the offers from Qatar and the reason he is in Arizona training is to be the best he can be for his country. This disregard for Schoeman's loyalty is outrageous.

I don't think that criteria was used after that year, but it shows there are exceptions that governing bodies are willing to make for the sake of their athletes.Was Eric’s selection an exception to the criteria or a consideration built into the selection criteria for 1991 due to the timing of Pan PACs? There is an interesting article at USA Swimming web site about the US selection process www.usaswimming.org/.../ViewMiscArticle.aspx There is a great quote by says Peter Dahlberg, the American record holder who missed making the 1972 Olympic team in the 100m breaststroke by .01 seconds, “You do it that day at that moment or you don’t.” And another by Jeff Farrell, the 1960 Olympian who competed in the trials wrapped in bandages from a newly removed appendix “I don’t deserve any special privileges, I’ll swim.” It also mentions the marginal, as best, DQ at the 96 trials in the women’s 400 IM that kept Kristine Quance-Julian 400 IM’er in the world out of the event a the Olympics. Dahlberg, Farrell, Quance-Julian, Steve Clark, Kurt Krumpholz and many other have felt the harshness of the selection criteria. But I digress. This post was about South Africa Swimming and Roland Schoeman. Schoeman is a phenomenal athlete who deserves every opportunity to compete on the world stage, representing his county in every event in which he has met his countries qualifying criteria.

Was Eric’s selection an exception to the criteria or a consideration built into the selection criteria for 1991 due to the timing of Pan PACs? No. Lots of swimmers from worlds used the rule to skip nationals and get ready for Pan Pacs.

But, Ryk also lives in Tucson. He moved here about four months ago. And he swam in my lane the Monday after worlds, which means he flew to South Africa from Tucson, the same as Roland et. al. Is Ryk able to afford the trip more than Roland? Or is Swimming SA able/willing to pay for Ryk's trip because he spent two years in South Africa training after Athens? Jeff, Ryk is actually in a better situation due to the fact that he spent two years in SA after the Olympics, but Swimming SA plays no part of that. Ryk chose to move to SA after the Olympics because of the potential dollars that he could make through sponsors, appearances, etc. He made that decision partly because no other SA swimmer decided to do just that. Because of this, Ryk did well financially, but chose to move back to Tucson to get back to swimming fast. My guess, and it is only a guess, Ryk can afford the plane ticket or sponsors are paying for it, but I doubt that Swimming SA is paying for his flights and not Roland's.