I am not sure we realize how bad this will be for swimming and US swimming.
This will change how everybody looks at the US team from now on. The circumstances do not matter to the casual sports fan - they will only remember "US swimmer caught".
The medal winners will lose a lot of money on endorsements - USA swimming was the "clean" sport, the poster child of how to do it right. Not any more - any advertiser will now look at swimmers differently.
What about US trials - this will change how quickly the testing has to come back and how some 3rd place finisher may train after trials.
US Swimming - they have already screwed this up on 10 different levels. No press conference, 3 weeks after the fact, some web forum starts leaking the story, coaches and swimmers at the Olympic training camp know and they expect to keep this quiet ? Amateurs
Former Member
I am not sure we realize how bad this will be for swimming and US swimming.
This will change how everybody looks at the US team from now on. The circumstances do not matter to the casual sports fan - they will only remember "US swimmer caught".
No, no,no...really, don't look at it this way. I am not American and this is equally depressing for me. It really is a sad day. It's one of those things that you wish never happened. I think we all want to believe that the sport we love is above this kind of behaviour. I can understand the anger and frustration.
I certainly won't be thinking any worse of US swimmers. To be otherwise would be ridiculous. I am sure any swimming fan would feel the same, too. Regardless of their nationality.
USA Olympic committee sweeping things under the table. It has been going on even before Ben Johnson won the 100 then they gave his gold medal to a guy who had tested positive earlier that year.
Huh? The IOC governs the Olympics, George.
Still not sure how Johnson's doping 20 years ago implicates an American but when your sole national hero is a fraud, you have to grab onto whatever you can. I shouldn't say sole hero, you still have the awesome metal hair-band Triumph to be proud of.
I even believed what he said about a competitor lacing his drink. It may be true because he had his stuff well under control. Now I am wondering who did that, maybe the guy who came second and ended up with the Gold.
Wow, and you chastise us for doping discussions.
Geek you are backing a guy who tested positive be fore he raced Johnson and it was covered up. I admit Johnson used. But again you see this other guy through rose colored glasses.
Sure thing, George. Quote OJ again, good for cred.
Former Member
I am not sure we realize how bad this will be for swimming and US swimming.
This will change how everybody looks at the US team from now on....
The reaction overseas will more likely be "the US is finally stepping up to drug testing of their Olympians by reporting violators before the Games".
The impression outside the US (rightly or wrongly - I don't know the truth) is that drug cheating in the US in the past has been swept under the carpet by US sports administrators who knowingly allowed cheaters to participate in the Games.
Being transparent and bringing cases into the open like this one (however it turns out) will not be perceived as negative but as being honest.
Swimming as a sport has already been tainted so it shouldn't suffer relative to any other sport (are there any 'clean' sports?). Catching the cheaters is a positive - you need to avoid the 'Tour de France syndrome'.
Ian.
Former Member
USA Olympic committee sweeping things under the table. It has been going on even before Ben Johnson won the 100 then they gave his gold medal to a guy who had tested positive earlier that year.
I am not sure we realize how bad this will be for swimming and US swimming.
This will change how everybody looks at the US team from now on. The circumstances do not matter to the casual sports fan - they will only remember "US swimmer caught".
The medal winners will lose a lot of money on endorsements - USA swimming was the "clean" sport, the poster child of how to do it right. Not any more - any advertiser will now look at swimmers differently.
What about US trials - this will change how quickly the testing has to come back and how some 3rd place finisher may train after trials.
US Swimming - they have already screwed this up on 10 different levels. No press conference, 3 weeks after the fact, some web forum starts leaking the story, coaches and swimmers at the Olympic training camp know and they expect to keep this quiet ? Amateurs
This isn't the first American swimmer to ever test positive. Angel Myers, anyone? And it didn't kill US Swimming back then. If this is handled the right way by Hardy and all concerned I think the damage can be somewhat limited. Or maybe I'm just being optimistic.
This isn't the first American swimmer to ever test positive. Angel Myers, anyone? And it didn't kill US Swimming back then. If this is handled the right way by Hardy and all concerned I think the damage can be somewhat limited. Or maybe I'm just being optimistic.
Too much has happened since Angel.
