Ryan Murphy, Lia Neal and Jacob Pebley are the latest three U.S. Olympians to sign on for the Energy for Swim 2018 meet, which is scheduled to take place in Torino, Italy next month, though FINA has made clear the meet is not authorized.
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.
The signing of Murphy (a triple Olympic gold medalist in 2016), Neal (a two-time Olympian) and Pebley (2016 Olympian and 2017 World Champs bronze medalist) now brings the list of contracted swimmers to an even 40. Murphy, Neal and Pebley are all listed on Team USA’s roster for Short Course Worlds as well, making for a busy month of December with four days between competitions in China (Short Course Worlds) and Italy (Energy for Swim).
You can see the full list below:
SIGNED CONTRACTS
| Athlete | Nation | |
| 1 | Adam Peaty | GBR |
| 2 | Alexandr Krasnykh | RUS |
| 3 | Anastasia Fesikova | RUS |
| 4 | Andrew Minakov | RUS |
| 5 | Bethany Galat | USA |
| 6 | Cameron van der Burgh | RSA |
| 7 | Chad Le Clos | RSA |
| 8 | Chase Kalisz | USA |
| 9 | Danas Rapsys | LTU |
| 10 | David Verraszto | HUN |
| 11 | Duncan Scott | GBR |
| 12 | Emily Seebohm | AUS |
| 13 | Femke Heermskerk | NED |
| 14 | Georgia Davies | GBR |
| 15 | Gunnar Bentz | USA |
| 16 | Jacob Pebley | USA |
| 17 | Katie Meili | USA |
| 18 | Katinka Hosszu | HUN |
| 19 | Kendyl Stewart | USA |
| 20 | Kliment Kolesnikov | RUS |
| 21 | Kristian Gkolomeev | GRE |
| 22 | Laszlo Cseh | HUN |
| 23 | Lia Neal | USA |
| 24 | Lisa Bratton | USA |
| 25 | Maria Ugolkova | RUS |
| 26 | Mark Szaranek | GBR |
| 27 | Max Litchfield | GBR |
| 28 | Mehdy Metella | FRA |
| 29 | Michael Andrew | USA |
| 30 | Michelle Coleman | SWE |
| 31 | Mikhail Romanchuk | UKR |
| 32 | Pieter Timmers | BEL |
| 33 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo | NED |
| 34 | Ryan Murphy | USA |
| 35 | Sarah Sjostrom | SWE |
| 36 | Sergey Fesikov | RUS |
| 37 | Sergii Shevtsov | UKR |
| 38 | Siobhan O’Connor | GBR |
| 39 | Tom Shields | USA |
| 40 | Veronika Andrusenko | RUS |
SwimSwam is an Energy Standard Group partner.
What a huge surprise that FINA is objecting to the competition. This is the first salvo in what will be a messy conflict, it is time for the sport to say that enough is enough. The structure has decayed to such a point that what could be a quality event in which we can showcase the sport is threatened because swimmers will be paid a real dollar return and that those fat bloated incompetent structures cannot get a clip on the money to sustain their lifestyle.
I truly hope that the swimmers unite and go to this event on mass supported by the Italian Federation and other Federations refuse to sanction any swimmer that attends.
Time has come… Read more »
Yozhik, you don’t really believe swimmers arent talking between them, do you?
I don’t know. I do think that Ryan had some discussions with some people. But who that was I don’t know but am very curious. The army of swimmers is not monolithic. There are many groups among them that are completely different by goals and ways of achieving them.
Why do I have a feeling that swimmers are used again in someone else’s political fight fort the power and money that has little concern about swimmers’ wellbeing?
Sounds of an Athletes Union of sorts! Fighting against the corrupt institution. Hmmmm…could this seep over and have affect on the NCAA? I hope I hope!!!!
Will be interesting to hear from Ryan Murphy what influenced his decision.
Sjostrom made her decision before FINA’s rule clarification. Peaty hasn’t planned to compete at FINA’s short course meets anyway and was angry of blocking him to earn some money with the very little inconvenience. But Ryan decision was probably motivated by completely different considerations. Was it political?
For simmers going to Worlds, the Energy for Swim event is right after. FINA cannot simply attempt a ban on swimmers coming to SC Worlds based on an event that has not even taken place.
This might be the tipping point
It IS a tipping point, because it makes difficult now for some swimmers to change their decision. I don’t think that they will be banned from Olympic Games, but it is very possible that there will be some punishment for the 2019 season. For swimmers like Sjostrom and Hosszu it may mean the lost of serious prize money at World Cup.
All I keep thinking is gogogo! I want the big names to ask step up. Yes they have more to lose but they r the ones with the power to create that second level that make a solid living but need a real pro organization to make it happen. How long has track had that?
I feel this is the closest it has come
PS. Could we consolidate the articles and comments about this?