This editorial is by Rowdy Gaines, a three-time Olympic gold medalist from the 1984 LA Games. Known as the “Voice of Swimming,” Rowdy has served as NBC Sports’ lead analyst for over 30 years. A relentless advocate for the sport, he has spent decades championing athletes, expanding access, and telling the stories that define swimming excellence. Through his leadership with Step Into Swim, Rowdy has helped fund over 300,000 free swim lessons, advancing water safety for families in underserved communities.

Let’s be honest — when Michael Phelps speaks, the swimming world should listen.

So when he posted a meme last week showing a tombstone for USA Swimming with the words, “Call it a funeral, or call it a fresh start. We’ve got 3 years,” that wasn’t just for clicks. That was a message. A challenge. A wake-up call from the greatest swimmer — no, the greatest athlete — in history.

And I stand with him.

When someone with Michael Phelps’ perspective speaks up, it’s worth listening, not because of the medals, but because he understands this sport’s heartbeat as few do.

Last week, when he shared that symbolic image on social media, a message suggesting that USA Swimming faces a choice: rebuild with purpose or risk losing its identity. It wasn’t a eulogy. It was a challenge, a call for all of us to reflect, refocus, and demand more from the systems that support our athletes.

It was a reminder that no program, no matter how decorated, is immune to decline without direction.

This Wasn’t About the Athletes

This isn’t about throwing stones at the athletes. Far from it. I’ve spent the last 50 years as one of their biggest cheerleaders. But both Michael and I are saying what many are thinking: something is broken in the way USA Swimming is being run. And if we don’t fix it now, we risk losing the very culture of excellence that built this program in the first place.

This conversation isn’t a criticism of the athletes. My belief in these athletes is exactly why I’m raising this concern. They deserve better from the system around them.

When both Michael and I speak up, it’s because we see what many inside the sport already know: the structure guiding USA Swimming is not functioning as it should.

And if we don’t address that now, we risk losing the very culture of excellence that made Team USA the global standard in the first place.

This Is Bigger Than One Meet

Yes, this team battled illness. Jason Knapp and I acknowledged that on air repeatedly. The athletes gave everything — under brutal conditions, far from home, in a post-Olympic year. They showed resilience and heart.

And yes — Team USA won the overall medal count and the gold medal count. That should absolutely be celebrated. But we can’t confuse that outcome with long-term health. A strong medal haul doesn’t mean there aren’t serious structural issues underneath. If we only measure success by what shows up on a scoreboard, we risk missing the warning signs that could cost us in the years ahead.

This isn’t about one meet or one virus. It’s about a vacuum.

USA Swimming has gone an entire year without a Chief Executive Officer. That’s not just an oversight — it’s a failure of leadership. And that’s what Michael and I are calling out.

His post wasn’t an overreaction. It was a gut-check.

Our Clubs. Our Coaches. Our Culture.

The athletes are showing up. The coaches are doing the work. And our club programs — the lifeblood of American swimming — continue to develop world-class talent every day.

They haven’t failed. But the system that’s supposed to support them? That’s another story.

There are hardworking, passionate people inside USA Swimming — including the new National Team Director. I give full credit to Coach Greg Meehan for his leadership at the World Championships under impossible circumstances.

But they’ve been left without clear direction. No permanent CEO. No long-term plan. No real support. That’s not just frustrating. It’s demoralizing.

They deserve better. We all do.

If You’re on That Board — It’s Time to Lead

If you’re on that board and reading this, let me ask you plainly:
Do you believe we’re where we need to be?
If not — then act. Boldly. Transparently. Now.

This Isn’t About Michael — It’s About the Moment

Michael and I have been talking nearly every day for the past year — not about politics or headlines, but about how to help this sport and the athletes we care so deeply about.

He didn’t post that message for attention. He has nothing to gain by speaking out. He did it because he knows something has to change. Because he cares. Because he’s not willing to sit on the sidelines when the sport he helped elevate is losing direction.

Neither am I.

We didn’t take this public lightly. But we’re out of time for silence. This isn’t about drama. It’s about accountability. It’s about urgency. It’s about making sure that when LA 2028 arrives, we are ready — not just to win medals, but to show the world what makes American swimming great.

Let Me Be Clear

Much has been made of a single word I used in an AP interview — entitlement. Some have taken it out of context. I wasn’t criticizing individual athletes. I was speaking about a mindset — one that, for generations, came with wearing the stars and stripes.

It was never about arrogance. It was belief. Belief that Team USA would always rise to the occasion — because for decades, we did.

I had that mindset in 1984. We all did. But the world has caught up. Many of the best international swimmers now train here in the U.S. The competition is sharper. Hungrier. That’s not a bad thing — it’s a reality check. And the sooner we accept that, the sooner we start climbing again.

LA 2028: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Chance

I know what a home Olympics feels like. I lived it in 1984 — when the Games came to Los Angeles and I had the honor of standing on the top of the podium in front of a home crowd. That moment shaped my life.

Most athletes never get that chance. Even Michael didn’t. This generation does. Once. And never again. We cannot squander it. We owe it to them — and to the next generation watching from the stands, the screen, or the edge of their local pool.

It’s Not Too Late — But the Clock Is Ticking

We can fix this. But not with spin. Not with waiting. Not with more silence. Let’s fix it — together.

Rowdy Gaines