First off I take issue with Spitz saying he would have won the 50 Meter Free at the 1972 Olympics. There was a person on the 1972 Olympic team that never, ever lost at the Championship level in the 50 Free from 1969 to 1972. His name was David Edgar and he swam for Tennesse and he beat Spitz all 3 times they raced at the NCAA Championships. There was no Long Course 50 Meter Free back in those days so its hard to make a standard comparison but David Edgar had World Best times from that era so I don't think he would have beaten Edgar. Perhaps there are others out there that remember Edgar.
I am not really suprised that the IOC or FINA did not pay for Mark Spitz to be in attendence at the Olympics. He was quoted saying things about both the IOC and FINA officials that they have not forgotten. I remember him saying something about all they do is stuff food in there mouths and don't do anything for swimming. That isn't the exact quote but its pretty close. This was in regards to there drug policys and other administrative decisions. People like Mustapha Larfaoui, who is the President of FINA and a member of the IOC and *** Pound, who was the head of the WADA and a member of the IOC both remember those comments and did not like them one bit. There is no way those organizations are going to invite him with that. Gunnar Werner and Cornel Marculescu, both FINA Executive Officials at the time said they did not appreciate his comments about there organization.
There is a saying that if you "Fail to Prepare" then be "Prepared to Fail" and this is a case where Mark did not use his own saying. Making a statement like he did in public to those organizations is failing to prepare because that organization will never extend a favor to you so in this sense you have prepared to fail because they will never invite you to a function like this at there expense.
First off I take issue with Spitz saying he would have won the 50 Meter Free at the 1972 Olympics. There was a person on the 1972 Olympic team that never, ever lost at the Championship level in the 50 Free from 1969 to 1972. His name was David Edgar and he swam for Tennesse and he beat Spitz all 3 times they raced at the NCAA Championships. There was no Long Course 50 Meter Free back in those days so its hard to make a standard comparison but David Edgar had World Best times from that era so I don't think he would have beaten Edgar. Perhaps there are others out there that remember Edgar.
I am not really suprised that the IOC or FINA did not pay for Mark Spitz to be in attendence at the Olympics. He was quoted saying things about both the IOC and FINA officials that they have not forgotten. I remember him saying something about all they do is stuff food in there mouths and don't do anything for swimming. That isn't the exact quote but its pretty close. This was in regards to there drug policys and other administrative decisions. People like Mustapha Larfaoui, who is the President of FINA and a member of the IOC and *** Pound, who was the head of the WADA and a member of the IOC both remember those comments and did not like them one bit. There is no way those organizations are going to invite him with that. Gunnar Werner and Cornel Marculescu, both FINA Executive Officials at the time said they did not appreciate his comments about there organization.
There is a saying that if you "Fail to Prepare" then be "Prepared to Fail" and this is a case where Mark did not use his own saying. Making a statement like he did in public to those organizations is failing to prepare because that organization will never extend a favor to you so in this sense you have prepared to fail because they will never invite you to a function like this at there expense.
