Thorpe's rival decides to take a dive
Stuart James
Friday April 16, 2004
The Guardian
Ian Thorpe, the world's greatest 400 metres swimmer, now looks set to compete in his strongest event in Athens after being disqualified from it last month.
Craig Stevens, the 1500m specialist who finished second in the 400m in the Australian trials, looks likely to pull out of the event, allowing Thorpe to defend his Olympic title.
"We do know that people acting on behalf of Craig have been doing the rounds to sell the story over the last week so we do anticipate he's going to withdraw," the Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates told reporters yesterday. "We do know that Australia Swimming has discussed with Ian Thorpe's manager whether he would take the position and the answer to that is yes."
Thorpe lost his balance and fell into the pool before his 400m heat in the national trials. Despite repeated calls from the public and the media for him to be reinstated, Australia Swimming refused to back down. Stevens' decision will take some of the heat off the governing body.
What persuaded Stevens to turn down a place in the 400m has yet to be disclosed. "Ian Thorpe hasn't put any pressure on him," Coates said. "There's certainly been a weight of public opinion that it would be nice for him to withdraw in favour of Ian. Whether that's fair or not you can be the judge."
Thorpe would not be guaranteed Stevens' place in the Olympic 400 metres, though any other outcome would be met with astonishment.
Australia Swimming has referred to the Olympic selection criteria, which suggest that the "next ranked" swimmer should replace either of the first two swimmers at the trials if they become unavailable. The ambiguity surrounding the term "next ranked" prompted suggestions that Josh Krogh, who finished third behind Grant Hackett and Stevens, could move into the frame.
However, after taking advice from their lawyer Alan Sullivan, the AOC is confident that should Stevens stand down Thorpe would be the next in line. "In my opinion it is Mr Thorpe and not Mr Krogh or any other swimmer who satisfies the nomination criteria," Sullivan said.
Stuart James
Friday April 16, 2004
The Guardian
Ian Thorpe, the world's greatest 400 metres swimmer, now looks set to compete in his strongest event in Athens after being disqualified from it last month.
Craig Stevens, the 1500m specialist who finished second in the 400m in the Australian trials, looks likely to pull out of the event, allowing Thorpe to defend his Olympic title.
"We do know that people acting on behalf of Craig have been doing the rounds to sell the story over the last week so we do anticipate he's going to withdraw," the Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates told reporters yesterday. "We do know that Australia Swimming has discussed with Ian Thorpe's manager whether he would take the position and the answer to that is yes."
Thorpe lost his balance and fell into the pool before his 400m heat in the national trials. Despite repeated calls from the public and the media for him to be reinstated, Australia Swimming refused to back down. Stevens' decision will take some of the heat off the governing body.
What persuaded Stevens to turn down a place in the 400m has yet to be disclosed. "Ian Thorpe hasn't put any pressure on him," Coates said. "There's certainly been a weight of public opinion that it would be nice for him to withdraw in favour of Ian. Whether that's fair or not you can be the judge."
Thorpe would not be guaranteed Stevens' place in the Olympic 400 metres, though any other outcome would be met with astonishment.
Australia Swimming has referred to the Olympic selection criteria, which suggest that the "next ranked" swimmer should replace either of the first two swimmers at the trials if they become unavailable. The ambiguity surrounding the term "next ranked" prompted suggestions that Josh Krogh, who finished third behind Grant Hackett and Stevens, could move into the frame.
However, after taking advice from their lawyer Alan Sullivan, the AOC is confident that should Stevens stand down Thorpe would be the next in line. "In my opinion it is Mr Thorpe and not Mr Krogh or any other swimmer who satisfies the nomination criteria," Sullivan said.
