ISL Statement Decries ‘Bullying’ By National Federations Amid Pandemic

The International Swimming League released a statement today criticizing what the league called “bullying” by national federations.

Though the statement doesn’t mention any specific federations, it comes just a week after news that the majority of Australia’s swimmers will not participate in the ISL this season. SwimSwam has learned that in at least one case, Swimming Australia denied an athlete an exemption to the nation’s international travel ban, in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The full ISL statement is below:

The current health crisis should not be used to entrench existing vested interests.

It is unacceptable that some national swimming federation’s leaders, knowingly and cynically use the pandemic to intimidate athletes who wish to participate in other competitions.

Athletes must be protected not only in their physical integrity but also in their economic and social integrity. They need to compete or risk imperilling their livelihoods.

ISL stands for the right of all athletes to freely live their swimming life, believes it is time to put power back into their hands, to champion their right to make a living they deserve, and to have a greater say in the way their sport is run.

The recent bullying and pressure on some of the athletes who are already in a precarious position is a political manoeuvre and contrary to the very spirit of sport.”

#YesToCompetition #NoToBullying

ISL Bubble? Still Unclear

The ISL touted a “strict medical protocol” and a commitment to “offering a safe environment to all athletes and staff,” arguing that national federations are using the pandemic to intimidate athletes.

But the league has also not released the full details of its medical protocols, even with the season just over three weeks away. The five-week regular season will take place in Budapest, Hungary. Athletes, coaches and officials will be tested for COVID-19 twice before departing for Budapest, two more times within 48 hours of arrival, and then every five days during the season. Meets will be conducted without spectators.

But the league declined to answer our question on whether athletes and staff will be quaratined to hotels and training facilities while in Budapest. The NBA conducted its season in such a ‘bubble’, while other pro sports leagues like the NFL and MLB have not. We’ve followed up with the ISL about the potential for a quarantine, but the league only says that it will publish its protocol “soon.”

Australian Short Course Nationals Conflict

One potential conflict for Australian athletes has been the Australian Short Course Swimming Championships, which are scheduled for November 26. That would be about two weeks after the conclusion of the ISL‘s regular season.

Athletes competing in the postseason would see their ISL commitments continue into December, and the nation’s current restrictions on international travel might leave athletes unable to train or compete for some time after their trip to Budapest, if they are allowed to return to the country at all.

The ISL framed the conflict as national federations attacking athletes’ ability to earn money. But it’s also worth noting that Swimming Australia funds athletes through its Performance Pathway Program, and generally at a higher level ($15,000 to $40,000 a year, including coach and program costs) than ISL salaries (which hit $15,000 per athlete this year).

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Swim Fan
3 years ago

The major issue for Australians is not so much getting out of the country but getting back in,.
This is due to the Australian Govt quota system cap on returning travellors.
The cap was imposed to enable the Govt to provide & cope with the compulsory quarantine accommodation facilities, costs, etc. There are still several thousand families that have been & still are stranded overseas for up to 6 months awaiting flights etc. This has impacted on the airline industry which has had to reduce the number of flights in accordance wuth the cap limitations and numerous last minute cancellations have resulted.
Further issues relate to state border lockdowns which means double quarantining (4 weeks) if a… Read more »

Aigh
3 years ago

This BS. No one is allowed to leave Australia – only a handful of actual urgent or essential business reasons.
I love swimming but I love that swimmers’ health are being considered.
Imagine the shitstorm if the Comp was in the US. No one would go. It’s a total liability to the whole swimming population.
ISL is lucky to get anyone anywhere at this point.

Verram
3 years ago

If they’re subtly targeting Australia it’s a not a good commercial move to oils off the Aussie stakeholders if they want to eventually bring ISL to the country especially since Australia is probably the country with the most passionate swimming fans

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Verram
3 years ago

It’s not so subtle. And as more swimmers (Italians then others) opt out, the ISL is going to look even more stupid for this comment.

gator
3 years ago

Swim Swam should poll the ISL swimmers, and I would bet the primary reason for them joining ISL is that it provides a great training and competition opportunity. Amazing that any federations would take steps to prevent that, when they cannot provide such an opportunity by their own choice (or cowardice). Thank you ISL!!

Troy
Reply to  gator
3 years ago

I think the main reason is money

Admin
Reply to  gator
3 years ago

I don’t think the ISL would allow them to respond, but I would bet it is the money, which is not great for most right now, but the hopes that the money will grow in the future.

That, and to just generally thumb their nose at FINA.

Taa
Reply to  gator
3 years ago

I think it’s a pretty big failure on USA swimming’s part to not put their heads together and to procure pool space and provide a bubble for training our national team.

Perigee
3 years ago

Twisted self-serving logic. Millions upon millions of people have had their livelihoods interrupted or ended by the pandemic. But pro swimmers are entitled because they’re….special?

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Perigee
3 years ago

I always took pride that swimmers didn’t whine, and if they did (like say Amanda Weir after Volmer was named to the finals relay), they were shamed into oblivion. And now this statement. smh

Joel
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

Yes but a lot of sportspeople are currently competing overseas. Just not swimmers?

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Joel
3 years ago

Are other Australian (for example) athletes sponsored by the country given travel exemptions? ISL swimmers don’t fit any of the main reasons for exemption for Australia:
A person whose travel is essential for the conduct of critical industries and business
A person travelling as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including providing aid

  • A person receiving urgent medical care not available in Australia
  • A person who is travelling on urgent and unavoidable personal business
  • Travel on compassionate or humanitarian grounds
  • Travel that is in the national interest
Troyy
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

Yes, track and field athletes have been competing in Europe over the last couple of months.

Dowter
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

I thought it was her father-in-law who whined. Did Amanda do any whining herself?

Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

They’re turning this into a clown show.

Admin
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
3 years ago

Wait until you read the breakdown of the rating system…

Averagejoe
Reply to  Braden Keith
3 years ago

I just tried to read it and what the heck…. SwimSwam should have an article just about that. Hilariously bad

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Braden Keith
3 years ago

Correction, clown show on steroids.

Pvdh
3 years ago

Shades of Trevor Milton

PsychoDad
Reply to  Pvdh
3 years ago

Lol, actually no. Pulling Trevor Milton means announcing Dressel in Lane 4 but actually sending another swimmer to swim, with Dressel written on his cap.

Averagejoe
3 years ago

Since the ISL is basically just trying to make the rich get richer with jackpot times, stealing points and rewarding the top 1% competing in the ISL instead of closing the gap between the top earners who have enough money anyway and the normal athletes, they shouldn’t really talk about bullying;) just my humble opinion

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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