Olympic Champion Simone Manuel has signed a contract to compete in the Energy for Swim 2018 meet.
A rule interpretation by FINA has classified the event as an international competition that needs FINA approval, something the event doesn’t have and doesn’t have time to obtain. FINA rules say that athletes could face bans between one and two years for competing in an unauthorized competition.
Meet organizers say contracted athletes will still be paid 50% of their promised appearance money if the meet is cancelled.
A number of high-profile athletes have publicly signed on to compete at the meet even after FINA’s warning, though it’s still unclear if the meet will proceed (or if all contracted athletes will compete) if the meet remains outside of FINA authorization.
You can see the full list below:
SIGNED CONTRACTS
| Athlete | Nation | |
| 1 | Adam Peaty | GBR |
| 2 | Alessandro Miressi | ITA |
| 3 | Alexandr Krasnykh | RUS |
| 4 | Anastasia Fesikova | RUS |
| 5 | Andrew Minakov | RUS |
| 6 | Arianna Castiglione | ITA |
| 7 | Bethany Galat | USA |
| 8 | Cameron van der Burgh | RSA |
| 9 | Chad Le Clos | RSA |
| 10 | Chase Kalisz | USA |
| 11 | Danas Rapsys | LTU |
| 12 | David Verraszto | HUN |
| 13 | Duncan Scott | GBR |
| 14 | Emily Seebohm | AUS |
| 15 | Federica Pellegrini | ITA |
| 16 | Femke Heermskerk | NED |
| 17 | Gabriele Detti | ITA |
| 18 | Georgia Davies | GBR |
| 19 | Gregorio Paltrinieri | ITA |
| 20 | Gunnar Bentz | USA |
| 21 | Jacob Pebley | USA |
| 22 | James Guy | GBR |
| 23 | Katie Meili | USA |
| 24 | Katinka Hosszu | HUN |
| 25 | Kendyl Stewart | USA |
| 26 | Kliment Kolesnikov | RUS |
| 27 | Kristian Gkolomeev | GRE |
| 28 | Laszlo Cseh | HUN |
| 29 | Lia Neal | USA |
| 30 | Lisa Bratton | USA |
| 31 | Luca Dotto | ITA |
| 32 | Margherita Panziera | ITA |
| 33 | Maria Ugolkova | RUS |
| 34 | Mark Szaranek | GBR |
| 35 | Max Litchfield | GBR |
| 36 | Mehdy Metella | FRA |
| 37 | Michael Andrew | USA |
| 38 | Michelle Coleman | SWE |
| 39 | Mikhail Romanchuk | UKR |
| 40 | Pieter Timmers | BEL |
| 41 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo | NED |
| 42 | Ryan Murphy | USA |
| 43 | Sarah Sjostrom | SWE |
| 44 | Sergey Fesikov | RUS |
| 45 | Sergii Shevtsov | UKR |
| 46 | Simona Quadarella | ITA |
| 47 | Simone Manuel | USA |
| 48 | Siobhan O’Connor | GBR |
| 49 | Tom Shields | USA |
| 50 | Veronika Andrusenko | RUS |
SwimSwam is an Energy Standard Group partner.
FINA downvote bots working overtime
It’s actually the lawyers handiwork, incurring a cost to their client of US$119.28 per downvote, or so I’ve heard. 😉
If to assume that events of Swim for Energy meet a symmetrical on male and female sides and that organizers of the meet sent invitations correspondingly then we have to conclude that female swimmers are 50% more cautious with signing contract than male counterparts. Simone’s example may make them more decisive.
Why wouldn’t every pro athlete just sign up – they have nothing to lose now, and guaranteed $, either way??
How much are the athletes being paid to attend this meet? Do we know?
History repeats itself…Prefontaine vs. the AAU.
This is delightful news!
If Manuel can insist that an “inclusion rider” be added to her contract with TYR (for making her promotional media etc), then it’s important that she back that stance up with her participation at this meet.
Way to Simone, good job of walking the talk!
Her TYR contract does include an inclusion rider: https://swimswam.com/simone-manuels-tyr-contract-includes-unprecedented-inclusion-rider/
Seems like with this one we have fully confirmed the “dare you to suspend me” portion of this battle with FINA.
This is now the biggest non-world champs/olympics meet ever, right?
Would expect so. I think Mare Nostrum used to get a lot of big names in the 90s, but with so many more pros now this is bigger.
Certainly of the last 20 years. Hard to make comparisons to pre 90s because the ‘world’ of swimming was much much smaller.