Rules interpretation changes and second-hand warnings of sanctions hasn’t deterred some athletes from throwing their full support toward the 2018 Energy for Swim meet in December in Turino, Italy.
On Saturday morning, in defiance of FINA’s rulings this week that Energy for Swim was an international meet and that the Italian federation couldn’t sanction an international meet, Peaty posted on Instagram that he would be attending the meet and organizers confirmed to SwimSwam that he has signed a competition contract even after the rulings of FINA this week.
Peaty’s presence, while not overtly an affront to the FINA ruling, does send a message: be it intentional or otherwise. For starters, it says that Energy for Swim organizers are pushing forward with engaging athletes for the meet, in spite of the reaction to what organizers believe is an attempt by FINA to block the meet.
Peaty, the biggest swimming star in the UK and one of the biggest in the world, is the two-time defending World Champion in both the 50 and 100 breaststrokes in long course and the defending Olympic Champion in the 100 breaststroke. With 22 major international gold medals at Commonwealth, European, World, and Olympic championship events, the 23-year old is the current World Record holder in the 50 and 100 meter breaststroke in long course and as part of Britain’s mixed 400 medley relay.
I don’t get it fully. Maybe someone can help me out?
ISL doesn’t apply in time for their meet getting a meet according to Fina rules. Fina says hence it’s too late, they didn’t stick to timelines. So what? Why is it an issue for the meez to happen? Swimmers will get their money from ISL for entering and for winning, wouldn’t they? Only thing is if they swim records it wouldnt count officially…????!!
Trying to find the exact details, can’t right now, but in broad strokes, athletes competed in a non-FINA sanctioned meet once before (I think maybe it was the 1980s?) and were banned by FINA for it.
FINA hasn’t officially come out and threatened any specific sanctions, but we’re hearing that the overtures are there. The International Skating Union tried it, and lost in a court of law, which sets a pretty fat precedent for this case. It’s just a matter of whether or not someone wants to call their bluff in court.
Thx for explanation / info. Cheers
The contract signing procedure, does it set some obligations for the meet organizers as well? Will Peaty get paid some money if the meet gets cancelled following the pressure from FINA?
Yozhik – we’re trying to figure out those details, but they’ve been hard to come by. We haven’t been made privy to the precise language in the contracts, but have asked this and other similar questions.
I think it is all fluid situation and being negotiated between ISL and FINA. To be continued…..
The reason I’m asking this question is very simple. The only party that can suffer the consequences of this conflict are not FINA’s administrators (they will be good in any case this conflict develops) and are not Energy for Swim organizers who received enough publicity already and their business wasn’t at risk at any point. But they are swimmers who have been threatened to lose their career in traditional way we understand it by far.
Energy for Swim organizers knowingly put swimmers in such a position. Should they share some risk if something bad happens financially to swimmers because of this affair.
I don’t think anyone’s really at risk here. FINA would lose all credibility if they banned swimmers over this.
“Welcome to the 2019 FINA world championships 50m Breaststroke final. For the past 4 years Adam Peaty has been almost unchallenged in this event however he has been banned for swimming at a swim meet. Cameron Van Der Burgh has been the only man able to beat Peaty during that time, however, he is unfortunately not here either, as he choose to compete in a charity swim meet”
Yeah no national federation is going to let that happen.
I’ve negotiated contracts of this ilk in the past (to be clear, none for this meet) and would anticipate both parties will have a termination right for change of law or regulation, which the swimmers could try to rely on (though there could be an argument as to whether the regulation has changed, when FINA’s position is that it has simply been clarified). If the swimmers have been well advised, and Energy for Swim have allowed it, there might also be a “Material Adverse Change”, allowing the swimmer to pull out in situations like this.
Not that we’re likely to find out, one clause I guarantee will be in there is a confidentiality clause.
Read somewhere they would be paid 50% if meet is cancelled.
Good for him. I am very impressed by this.
NO ONE intimidates Peatty!
Peaty. Sorry.
There is something so familiar about this. Athletes tell a governing body it needs to reform our sport and the organisations own structure. Governing body ignores athletes. Athletes grow tired and alternatives begin to be established. Governing body reacts by continuing to stave off reform and instead tries to crush ‘dissent’ by creating legal loopholes. We need our sports biggest names to continue challenging FINA as publicly and robustly as is necessary.
It’s not that simple. The professional swimming career is too short. The major part of it happens during teenage period when the politics is the last thing they have in mind. After retirement many of them are looking for opportunities within national or international swimming associations.
So within this untiFINA movement you won’t find young swimmers who are dreaming about big traditional achievements and are mostly occupied with Olympic and Worlds medals. You also hardly find swimmers at pre-retirement age.
The only professional group who is involved in this business for long period of time and who don’t have or don’t plan to have other means to support living are coaches. But this influential group of professionals is… Read more »
You are correct.
No organization was going to challenge FINA barring a major screw up by them…
A major screw up called threatening to ban a major swim meet (which btw is for charity) and the high profile swimmers competing at it because of a “rule clarification”…
Yozhik are you the FINA employee who dislikes the comments? ISL will be a huge success for both swimmers and coaches.
I have had the same thought. Something wasn’t feeling right about his postings.
Good lad.
This. Is. AWESOME! Now we just need Sarah and Chad to sign and watch as FINA’s hand gets forced.
According to organizers, Le Clos is signed: https://swimswam.com/at-least-17-olympic-gold-medalists-expected-at-energy-for-swim/
https://swimswam.com/sarah-sjostrom-to-compete-at-energy-for-swim-2018-video/