Send a protest about Ian Thorpe

"Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Send the protest to the following email addresses!

I've sent my protest. Obviously I bemoaned the fact that
he thinks he should be able to bypass the rules at will,
and commended the officials for their difficult but
correct decision.

Don

"Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Send the protest to the following email addresses!

Australian Swimming [email hidden]

John Howard pm.gov.auemail.cfmOpen ↗

Mark Latham
[email hidden]

No. He's a very highly paid professional, playing by the
same rules as everyone else. He broke the rule, he should
pay the price.

Donald Graft said:

"Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Send the protest to the following email addresses!

I've sent my protest. Obviously I bemoaned the fact that
he thinks he should be able to bypass the rules at will,
and commended the officials for their difficult but
correct decision.

How do you presume to know what he thinks? Anyway, I'm
sure common sense will prevail in the end and he will get
the opportunity to defend his title. I fully expect
whoever comes second in the final will volunteer to step
aside for him.

"Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Send the protest to the following email addresses!

You are obviously not old enough but just read in your
history books about the exclusion of Murray Rose from an
Olympics team. If I remember correctly he refused to come to
Oz to swim in the trials and was excluded. Broke the world
record later! Oz officials know how to make tough decisions.
If it had been someone other than IT or GH would you be
writing this?

Gerrit - Perth

Quoted message said:

How do you presume to know what he thinks? Anyway, I'm
sure common sense will prevail in the end and he will get
the opportunity to defend his title. I fully expect
whoever comes second in the final will volunteer to step
aside for him.

Under the rules if Craig Stevens (who came 2nd) pulls out,
then third place gets in (Joshua Krogh). He can't nominate
his replacement.

Brissie said:

Quoted message said:

How do you presume to know what he thinks? Anyway, I'm
sure common sense will prevail in the end and he will get
the opportunity to defend his title. I fully expect
whoever comes second in the final will volunteer to step
aside for him.

Under the rules if Craig Stevens (who came 2nd) pulls out,
then third place gets in (Joshua Krogh). He can't nominate
his replacement.

If Stevens were to pull out it's hardly likely that any of
the swimmers who finished lower down would demand to take
his place.

Who knows what will happen in the end. Perhaps Stevens will
dig his heels in and go himself? He certainly would be
entitled to do so. But don't get your hopes up too high just
yet. There's still a distinct possibility Thorpe could be
defending his title!

Krogh did not swim an A qualifying time and would therefore
not be included in the team.

"Brissie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

How do you presume to know what he thinks? Anyway, I'm
sure common sense will prevail in the end and he will get
the opportunity to defend his

title.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I fully expect whoever comes second in the final will
volunteer to step aside for him.

Under the rules if Craig Stevens (who came 2nd) pulls out,
then third place gets in (Joshua Krogh). He can't nominate
his replacement.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Brissie said:

Quoted message said:

How do you presume to know what he thinks? Anyway, I'm
sure common sense will prevail in the end and he will
get the opportunity to defend his title. I fully expect
whoever comes second in the final will volunteer to
step aside for him.

Under the rules if Craig Stevens (who came 2nd) pulls
out, then third place gets in (Joshua Krogh). He can't
nominate his replacement.

If Stevens were to pull out it's hardly likely that any of
the swimmers who finished lower down would demand to take
his place.

It's not a question of "demanding" - it's a question of
being entitled.

Quoted message said:

Who knows what will happen in the end. Perhaps Stevens
will dig his heels in and go himself? He certainly would
be entitled to do so. But don't get your hopes up too high
just yet. There's still a distinct possibility Thorpe
could be defending his title!

I feel bad for the Aussies that this happened, but I'll feel
worse for them still should they bend the rules to
accommodate the misfortune of one swimmer.

- Al

Al said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Brissie said:

> How do you presume to know what he thinks? Anyway, I'm
> sure common sense will prevail in the end and he will
> get the opportunity to defend his title. I fully expect
> whoever comes second in the final will volunteer to
> step aside for him.

Under the rules if Craig Stevens (who came 2nd) pulls
out, then third place gets in (Joshua Krogh). He can't
nominate his replacement.

If Stevens were to pull out it's hardly likely that any
of the swimmers who finished lower down would demand to
take his place.

It's not a question of "demanding" - it's a question of
being entitled.

Yes, whatever, but who would want to take a someone else's
place in such circumstances?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Who knows what will happen in the end. Perhaps Stevens
will dig his heels in and go himself? He certainly would
be entitled to do so. But don't get your hopes up too
high just yet. There's still a distinct possibility
Thorpe could be defending his title!

I feel bad for the Aussies that this happened, but I'll
feel worse for them still should they bend the rules to
accommodate the misfortune of one swimmer.

It's their rules, they can do what they want.

Anyway how would it be bending the rules if Stevens were to
forfeit his place? He's fully entitled to do so. He has no
prospect of medalling while Thorpe would be the clear
favourite for the event. He'd be much better concentrating
on his 1500m event. The pressure of taking Thorpe's place
would be a hinder to this.

"Ernest the Sheep" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Brissie said:

Quoted message said:

How do you presume to know what he thinks? Anyway, I'm
sure common sense will prevail in the end and he will
get the opportunity to defend his title. I fully expect
whoever comes second in the final will volunteer to
step aside for him.

Under the rules if Craig Stevens (who came 2nd) pulls
out, then third place gets in (Joshua Krogh). He can't
nominate his replacement.

If Stevens were to pull out it's hardly likely that any of
the swimmers who finished lower down would demand to take
his place.

Who knows what will happen in the end. Perhaps Stevens
will dig his heels in and go himself? He certainly would
be entitled to do so. But don't get your hopes up too high
just yet. There's still a distinct possibility Thorpe
could be defending his title!

That is a good point ... assuming Thorpe qualifies in some
other event
:-) and is on the Olympic squad it is conceivable that he
:could be one
of the two Aussie entrants in the 400m free ... its not like
the Olympics force countries to enter their top two swimmers
at Trials and/or provide their entries months in advance.

I'm not even 75% on this, but I'd guess that a coach can
submit any two swimmers who have met FINA standards to swim
an event pretty close to race day (surely he can if one the
orinally qualified swimmers is injured/sick and there is a
qualified replacement available, no?)

all geared up for athens already,

bill

How come no-one in Australia complained about the 'no false
start rule' until Thorpe fell off the blocks? Sounds like
typical Aussie sportsmanship to me - 'Can't win, so change
the rules so we can,'

Duncan Heenan said:

How come no-one in Australia complained about the 'no
false start rule' until Thorpe fell off the blocks? Sounds
like typical Aussie sportsmanship to me - 'Can't win, so
change the rules so we can,'

Idiot

Quoted message said:

Anyway how would it be bending the rules if Stevens were to
forfeit his place? He's fully entitled to do so. He has no
prospect of medalling

Yes he does. He'll finish in the top 4.

Brissie said:

Quoted message said:

Anyway how would it be bending the rules if Stevens were
to forfeit his place? He's fully entitled to do so. He
has no prospect of medalling

Yes he does. He'll finish in the top 4.

No he wont.

Mike Edey said:

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 10:24:46 +1200, Ernest the Sheep

Quoted message said:

Duncan Heenan said:

How come no-one in Australia complained about the 'no
false start rule' until Thorpe fell off the blocks?
Sounds like typical Aussie sportsmanship to me - 'Can't
win, so change the rules so we can,'

Idiot

plonk

Tosspot

On 27 Mar 2004 01:38:38 -0800,

(Murray) said:

Send the protest to the following email addresses!

I am disappointed to see this happen. It seems like a stupid
rule when this happens to the Thorpedo, but I gather that
the rule was instituted to stop swimmers from trying for a
flying start before a false start can hurt them. I've
certainly seen that happen at masters meets.

So without the rule, meets could be lengthened while some
swimmer in every heat tries to save a fraction of a second.

Donal Fagan AIA Donal@DonalO'Fagan.com (Anglicise the name
to reply by e-mail)

[email hidden] (Murray) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Send the protest to the following email addresses!

Australian Swimming [email hidden]

John Howard pm.gov.auemail.cfmOpen ↗

Mark Latham
[email hidden]

Couldn't agree more.

Here are some more places to send your protest:

1 The Australian Sports Commission

[email hidden]

This body funds elite sport in Australia and, inter alia,
determines funding on the basis of medals earned. It's clear
that the ASU has lost its way and needs someone to come in
and bang some heads together until someone sees sense.

2.

The Australian Olympic Committee

This body approves teams proposed by national sporting
bodies. Let them know how you will feel when Pieter van den
Hoogenwhatever gets up and claims the gold without a
contest from the best swimmer in the world. The Olympics is
supposed to be about the best, and this farce just brings
the whole event into disrepute. In fact, I'd go so far as
to say that every swimmer contesting the event would want
Thorpe there, otherwise any medals or places earned will be
of doubtful status.

olympics.com.audefault.aspOpen ↗
us

Beyond that, I'd urge people here to contact their
freinds and neighbours, their work colleagues, their
members of parliament anyone and have them bombard these
bodies with protest.

Mostly when we come to these news groups, we come to blow
off steam, maybe engage in some debate, do a bit of kite
flying or pick up some information. This is one of those
rare occasions when, collectively, we are in a position to
do something, rather than moan.

Please feel free to copy and paste anything I've written
elsewhere into your letters at your discretion. See for
example my topic:

Re: Australian Swimming officials: Blockheads?

Just do it, and do it now ... There's still time to stop the
ASU making a complete [censored] of itself.

FRAN

Quoted message said:

This body approves teams proposed by national sporting
bodies. Let them know how you will feel when Pieter van den
Hoogenwhatever gets up and claims the gold without a
contest from the best swimmer in the world.

If PVDH wins the 400m when he isn't even in it, I think
questions will be asked. Hackett, another Aussie, is a
special to win gold now.

PVDH is only in the 50m, 100m, 200m. He'll go against Thorpe
in the 100m and 200m

Quoted message said:

Beyond that, I'd urge people here to contact their
freinds and neighbours, their work colleagues, their
members of parliament anyone and have them bombard these
bodies with protest.

I've sent the ASC & ASU emails congratulating on them
sticking with the rules, and not changing them like the
shooting association did and athletics have before, to
get top athletes in when they fail to qualify in the
official trials.

"Donald Graft" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<f2e9c.14796$gA5.216903@attbi_s03>...

Quoted message said:

"Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Send the protest to the following email addresses!

I've sent my protest. Obviously I bemoaned the fact that
he thinks he should be able to bypass the rules at will,
and commended the officials for their difficult but
correct decision.

Don

Sorry to go off topic on you, Don, but you of all people
should not be pontificating. Your beloved president
launched a preemtive war which bore no fruit with regard to
the original intent. He's since made up excuses about the
real reasons. Sounds like he's trying to change the rules
in the middle, but the stakes are obviously much higher
than a swim meet.

"The law kills, but the spirit gives life".

You will never understand that statement. If instead you
will ostensibly live your life as a righteous man believing
in the letter of the law, then at least be consistent,
especially when it matters most. Rush is a felony drug
addict - he should go to prison. Cheney lied about
dissolving his monetary interest in Halliburton - he should
resign. Bush used 9/11 to advance his political ambitions of
regime change in Iraq - he should be impeached. Thorpe fell
of the block - he is DQ'd. If you want to use the law as a
hammer, please be honest and let it fall on those you
supported, but no longer should.

Eric