Australian Swimmers Silenced From Voicing Concerns Over Chinese

by Retta Race 32

March 12th, 2016 Australia, International, News

As a follow-up to the report that elite Australian swimmers were voicing concerns about training alongside Chinese athletes at their home pools, the Swimming Australia organization has reportedly issued an ordinance to its members regarding publicly speaking out on the topic.

Earlier this week, we reported how some high-profile Australian swimmers have complained about sharing their training facilities with a number of Chinese athletes who have moved their training bases to Australia. News down under indicated that there is “a growing chorus of Australian swimmers who are fed up with having to train alongside their Chinese rivals, some of whom have been suspended or suspected of doping.”

Thomas Fraser-Holmes and Olympic icon Grant Hackett were just two Australian swimmers who were questioning the strictness of the doping program monitoring the Chinese athletes training in their home nation. Hackett said, “I just want everyone to be tested equally. I get tested a lot.”

The subsequent wrist-slapping by Swimming Australia aimed at muffling such comments came via an official order, which The Daily Telegraph conveyed as the following:

“Speak only about yourself; about your own performances and your own journey and not about any other issues surrounding the sport. Respect your rivals. Avoid speaking negatively about your opposition; whether domestically or internationally. Be mindful of issues that can have far-reaching effects. Avoid commenting on any issue that may reflect poorly on yourself, your coach, your program, Swimming Australia and its sponsors or future sponsors and partners.”

Although there’s no official word on current Olympic hopefuls’ response to the decree, retired four-time Olympic gold medalist Libby Trickett sounded off that limiting what athletes can and can’t say is not in the best interest of the sport.

“It’s important to say that as a country we don’t stand for this and that every athlete should be subjected to the same amount of testing that we are,” Trickett said.

“I understand that our sport has been trying to recover its reputation as a wholesome and clean sport [since London 2012]. I can understand why they are trying to throw water on the fire — but this is an important issue and the reality is each athlete is an individual who has their own perspective and views on things.”

“As current athletes we have every right to expect that foreign athletes are treated as we are,” Trickett said. “I think that is imperative to the sport going forward — it is reasonable to expect equality when it comes to the number of drug tests they undergo.”

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Wahooswimfan
8 years ago

1) if the Chinese were doping, they certainly would not be traveling to and training in Australia to do it – bringing in banned substances thru customs, associating daily with non-Chinese – both swimmers and everyday people like house cleaners, friends, neighbors, many others – We’re talking teens and young twenties – does anybody believe that among a group of this age everyone could be so careful and never let something slip to friends, teammates, lovers, family or others? If they were going to dope en masse, they would not be traveling and training abroad.
2) Its wrong to taint an entire nation with allegations of doping – particular programs or individuals may have done so and may still… Read more »

Jeff
8 years ago

If I am understanding this right, and I am by no means an expert, the whole problem seems to be that Australian swimmers expect Swimming Australia to control and implement drug testing of all swimmers on Australian soil, irrespective of their nationality.

This does not seem unreasonable. If you travel to a different country, you obey the laws of that country. From the articles, it is claimed that the Chinese swimmers are being shown favoritism, a sort of drug testing diplomatic immunity. That seems wrong to me. If you go somewhere to enjoy all the benefits of their country–training facilities, nutrition, cleaner air and water, freedom–that part of the agreement is behaving the same way. “When in Rome, do as… Read more »

RealTalk
Reply to  Jeff
8 years ago

I totally agree. If a foreign swimmer goes to train in a country, he/she should be subject to testing by that country’s sporting body.

Australia as well as the US have a LOT of foreign athletes training there, as they are the best places to train for elite athletes. If foreigners want to use those resources, they should be subject to the same stipulations.

Admin
Reply to  RealTalk
8 years ago

RealTalk – the problem with this perspective, and while it doesn’t necessarily invalidate your idea as a perfect world solution, is the same concept that gives rise to “diplomatic immunity.” Theoretically, then, if China wanted to put in incredibly stringent requirements just to screw with foreign swimmers training there, they’d be able to. This is why diplomatic immunity exists – so that, for example, a foreign country can’t imprison an American diplomat for a law that we consider not even remotely illegal.

You may say, “that’s fine, no Americans will be training in China any time soon,” but because of things like World Cup and World Championship meets, you’d have to draw some line of delineation there. And, as soon… Read more »

NEWTOSWIMSWAM
8 years ago

A different perspective/question: there a very few American swimmers training in foreign countries (Kevin Cordes, most notably). How are they tested? by whom? how often?

SwimFL
8 years ago

I think people need to keep in mind that freedom of speech is not guaranteed in all democracies. Australia doesn’t any anything like the First Amendment.

daniels
8 years ago

Sportsmanship dictates that you don’t talk negatively about other swimmers publicly. However if anyone has issues then Australian Swimming should be taking a stand on behalf of their swimmers. An individual talking about possible doping in another country looks bad on Australian Swimming, but a number of swimmers talking about possible doping and Australian Swimming not doing anything to support their swimmers looks even worse. Especially when that country’s swimmers are training in Australian pools alongside Australian swimmers.
I obviously do not know the behind-the-scenes goings on, but they should have the opportunity to discuss their concerns with Australian Swimming, and then have Australian Swimming do something. That would have been the best way to go about all this.… Read more »

Swimmer
8 years ago

I’m probably misunderstanding this but if they’re complaining partly because they’re being forced to practice alongside their rivals I think that’s fair enough. You don’t really want them seeing how you train and the times you’re putting in in practice.

Also, Melanie Wright has tweeted to say this guidance wasn’t a gagging order, just suggestions for how to deal with the media… not as sinister as reports suggest.

https://mobile.twitter.com/mel_wright/status/708778075962548226

GS
Reply to  Swimmer
8 years ago

Lost a whole lot of respect for Mel tweeting that. She would know the real story given her connections and it ain’t pretty why TFH walked off pool deck. Pity she doesn’t support the concerns and advocate on behalf of senior swimmers, rather than spending her time taking a dig at the journalist on social media.

Gina
Reply to  Swimmer
8 years ago

There is an ongoing discussion as to what powers SAL have . I contend that they are very little mainly just guidance .
What I find here is that it happens when yo are heavily involved that you think everyone thinks like you -they don’t .

I like swimming & am glad to see Aust swimming fairly high after many many lean years. However the damage done is heavy by the whining of the team in 2012 then the miserable result . In 2013 I was a few kms south of the GC & was watching the Aust Champs on TV at a holiday complex . Person after person said to me ‘What are those losers up to… Read more »

sven
8 years ago

I have a few thoughts here. I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Australian swimming or anti-doping federations so, by all means, add more info if I’m missing something or correct me if I’m just plain wrong.

1) Athletes should be free to speak their minds. If the wording of the article is correct and this is, in fact, an ordinance, then I think Swimming Australia is wrong. If Swimming Australia issued this statement as advice, or some other non-mandatory type of address, then I suppose they’re free to say what they want. So if TFH continues to speak out against this, what’s the punishment? If they are going to punish him for voicing his concerns, then they… Read more »

daniels
Reply to  sven
8 years ago

Athletes are representing their country, though. If they say/do something badly, it reflects badly on Swimming Australia and the country itself. Swimming Australia has to protect itself from swimmers potentially damaging its reputation. Not saying it’s right, just the way it is.

Wahooswimfan
8 years ago

The Chinese swimmers are welcome to come train in America – as do many other foreign swimmers! We welcome them!

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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