Full story:
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../25369.asp
Excerpt:
Passages: Fran Crippen, 26 - FINA, USA Swimming Release Statements -- October 23, 2010
FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates, October 23. SHORTLY after the FINA Open Water 10K World Cup swim today in the UAE, United States swimmer Fran Crippen, 26, passed away after falling unconscious during the race.
With the water in the mid-to-high 80s, the competitors all finished and noticed that Crippen had not crossed the finish line. Meet management brought in deep sea divers, who found Crippen unconscious just before the final buoy nearly two hours later. He was transported to the Fujairah Hospital and later died according to information provided to Swimming World. Conflicting reports state that he was found dead on the course.
Crippen had shown signs of slowing down during the third lap of the five-lap race. When Crippen did not immediately finish, a fact noticed by teammate Alex Meyer who screamed for help, the competing swimmers rushed back into the water to help with the search.
Information provided to Swimming World demonstrates that the water was likely too hot for the event as several swimmers were treated for heat exhaustion after the race....
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Former Member
Swimmers generally have a pretty good sense of water temperature,... I would trust their statements at least as much as the organizers'.
I would trust the swimmers statements more than the organizers.
I can not understand why it took so long for the event management to understand that a swimmer was missing. This is a complete lack of safety protocol. It seems that it was his fellow swimmers that made the connection, and went on their own to help.
If he drowned, this was an outrageous and unexcusable mistake on the part of the event organizers. I am sure that a waiver was signed so, vindication will be difficult.
If a sudden medical issue was part of the problem there is still no excuse for not providing adequate monitoring of the course.
I would hope that the elite swimming community would use a boycott to firmly establish that the athletes safety is a priority.
Swimmers generally have a pretty good sense of water temperature,... I would trust their statements at least as much as the organizers'.
I would trust the swimmers statements more than the organizers.
I can not understand why it took so long for the event management to understand that a swimmer was missing. This is a complete lack of safety protocol. It seems that it was his fellow swimmers that made the connection, and went on their own to help.
If he drowned, this was an outrageous and unexcusable mistake on the part of the event organizers. I am sure that a waiver was signed so, vindication will be difficult.
If a sudden medical issue was part of the problem there is still no excuse for not providing adequate monitoring of the course.
I would hope that the elite swimming community would use a boycott to firmly establish that the athletes safety is a priority.
