Unrivalled as the greatest Olympian of all time, the 23-time gold medallist released a lengthy statement on his social media account criticising the leadership of USA Swimming after the American team\u2019s declining performances on the global stage.<\/p>\n
Although the US still topped the medals table at last year\u2019s Paris Olympics and the recent world championships in Singapore, Phelps said the team\u2019s sinking returns over the past decade were proof of how disorganised the sport had become in America.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere have always been cracks in the system but in the last nine years, I\u2019ve seen those cracks grow,\u201d Phelps posted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2016, I had the honor to be a part of a U.S. swim team in Rio that was arguably the most successful in the sport\u2019s history and we won 57% of the medals we had the opportunity to win. Fast forward eight years to Paris, where Team USA won only 44% of the medals they had the opportunity to win in the pool, the lowest percentage the sport had seen since the 1988 Olympics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Australia and China have been among the biggest beneficiaries of the US team\u2019s below-par performances in the pool at the last two Olympics, but not the only ones. Phelps said the issues run deeper than just the number of medals won and lost.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve asked myself what\u2019s changed in our sport and the answer is clear,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t on the athletes as they continue to do the best they can with what they\u2019ve been given. This is on the leadership of USA Swimming. Poor leadership trickles down and can impact an organization at every level.\u201d<\/p>\n
A childhood prodigy who competed at five Olympics after debuting as a 15-year-old at Sydney in 2000, Phelps\u2019 latest posting is not some spur of the moment takedown of his sport. The GOAT has long been using his voice to campaign on behalf of swimmers to be treated better.<\/p>\n
Despite its wholesome image, swimming is a brutal sport with a long list of problems.<\/p>\n
To make it to the top, competitors are required to undergo exhausting training and eat sparingly to keep their weight down, often for little financial reward, at least compared to other sports.<\/p>\n
The mental and physical toll on elite competitors is enormous and can take its toll. It\u2019s not uncommon to see swimmers break down in tears after their races, regardless of whether they win or lose.<\/p>\n
Phelps has been open about his own personal battles with depression and thoughts of self harm and never been unafraid to call on the sport\u2019s administrators to do more for the welfare of competitors.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not just an American problem. Many other swimming powers, including Australia, have acknowledged failings in the system, including the horrific abuse of female participants and ongoing mental health issues.<\/p>\n
Insiders have long expressed concerns about swimming\u2019s code of silence because those that speak out often get shot down.<\/p>\n
Phelps hasn\u2019t been spared, even though he is not alone in calling for changes. His highly decorated former teammate Ryan Lochte and 1984 Olympic champion Rowdy Gaines also alluded to the team\u2019s ongoing struggles in Singapore but USA Swimming took offence to the criticism.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are saddened and disappointed at the timing of the comments. The USA Swimming team battled severe illness in Singapore, and these comments added public scrutiny to an already challenging situation for our athletes and coaches,\u201d USA Swimming said.<\/p>\n
While it\u2019s true some members of the US team that competed in Singapore had health issues, Phelps has since made it clear he wasn\u2019t criticising the swimmers, or the team\u2019s results at the recent championships.<\/p>\n
Rather, he explained he was concerned about the wider issues the sport faces, including the pressure put on swimmers to keep quiet and not rock the boat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spent most of my life inside of a system that is supposed to support athletes. I gave it my everything, but I often felt that my voice went unheard,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was told to be grateful for the chance to compete and that it was more important to stay quiet and to keep the peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelps\u2019 comments echo similar concerns that other foreign swimmers have made over the years but this time, more people are listening. With Phelps among the favourites to light the cauldron at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, this is an issue that\u2019s only going to get more attention in the years ahead.<\/p>\n
READ THE STATEMENT IN FULL<\/p>\n
While I\u2019ve faced some pushback, from the post I shared last week, most of the feedback I\u2019ve heard echoes my feelings about the challenges facing USA Swimming today. And although some of you may not agree with my perception, I\u2019m glad that this discourse is forcing a bigger conversation.<\/p>\n
Now is the time to have it.<\/p>\n
First, I must be clear that I have the utmost respect for the U.S. swimmers that competed at the World Championships. My criticism is in no way directed at them \u2013 I know how hard they work and how honored they are to represent the U.S. National Team. My criticism is about the system, its leadership, and how it\u2019s failing.<\/p>\n
There have always been cracks in the system but in the last nine years, I\u2019ve seen those cracks grow. In 2016, I had the honor to be a part of a U.S. swim team in Rio that was arguably the most successful in the sport\u2019s history and we won 57% of the medals we had the opportunity to win. Fast forward eight years to Paris, where Team USA won only 44% of the medals they had the opportunity to win in the pool, the lowest percentage the sport had seen since the 1988 Olympics.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve asked myself what\u2019s changed in our sport and the answer is clear \u2026 this isn\u2019t on the athletes as they continue to do the best they can with what they\u2019ve been given. This is on the leadership of USA Swimming. Poor leadership trickles down and can impact an organization at every level.<\/p>\n
I spent most of my life inside of a system that is supposed to support athletes. I gave it my everything, but I often felt that my voice went unheard. I was told to be grateful for the chance to compete and that it was more important to stay quiet and to keep the peace.<\/p>\n
I spoke up earlier this year when I sent a letter to USA Swimming. It was also shared with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. It addressed many of my frustrations with the current state of the sport and was signed and supported by former Olympic medallists, world record holders, members of the coaching community, and current and previous staff members of USA Swimming.<\/p>\n
That letter seemed to fall on deaf ears. No one really wants to talk about how broken USA Swimming has become.<\/p>\n
But, if we don\u2019t talk about it, it won\u2019t get fixed.<\/p>\n
Money is a factor. But poor operational controls and weak leadership are a cornerstone of the sport\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve watched too many teammates struggle to compete in a sport they love without the support they need. I\u2019ve also seen the sport struggle to return its membership numbers to pre-pandemic levels, and I\u2019m done pretending this system works just because it produces medals.<\/p>\n
Swimming to me was always about more than just medals \u2013 it\u2019s supposed to be an environment that builds champions in and out of the pool.<\/p>\n
As a Dad to four young boys, it pains me to say that I\u2019m not sure I\u2019d want my sons to be a part of this sport at a competitive level. Yes, swimming changed my life, but it also causes a lot of heartache, and its current state makes me both sad and angry.<\/p>\n
I want to see this sport flourish and I want to be a part of the solution. I\u2019ve always said that I wanted to change the sport of swimming in the U.S. and that sentiment still holds true.<\/p>\n
I still care and I\u2019m not ready to give up.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t have all the answers, but I know this: we need accountability. We need transparency. We need athlete voices at the center, not in the margins.<\/p>\n
We need systemic change.<\/p>\n
I would like to encourage those of you who are in our sport and all of those who care about our sport\u2019s future to share your thoughts too. What do you think about the state of swimming in our country today? Has the sport continued to evolve and, if not, what can be done to move this sport into the future? I\u2019d love to see open and honest feedback from others.<\/p>\n
As an initial step forward, I would propose the following next steps to the USA Swimming Board of Directions and USA Swimming staff:<\/p>\n
Commission a 360* independent review of USA Swimming\u2019s Board of Directors and its organization as a whole. Provide complete transparency in this process.<\/p>\n
Streamline athlete services and develop a proactive, athlete-first way to support athletes competing in the sport. While USA Swimming and the USOPC provide some athlete resources, there needs to be a better way to work directly with athletes to implement what\u2019s available to them.<\/p>\n
Focus on strengthening the grassroots level of the sport, reversing its pandemic membership decline while developing new ways to foster additional growth.<\/p>\n
I offer up my service to be a resource in these proposed initial steps and I am hopeful that the USA Swimming community will accept my offer.<\/p>\n
My door is open and there is work to be done.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,<\/p>\n
Michael Phelps<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Unrivalled as the greatest Olympian of all time, the 23-time gold medallist released a lengthy statement on his…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66883,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[2620,53245,2095,53226,53234,1724,53209,53206,53232,64,63,689,53239,53227,11308,53220,53213,512,53204,53243,53218,9239,53224,2057,53233,53208,53241,2592,53230,22657,53244,53211,53237,53215,53231,53222,53210,7542,53221,677,53225,53219,53235,53229,2591,53228,53238,53240,942,53205,53207,11298,2812,53203,53214,85,53212,53216,53242,53217,2062,53223,25247,53236],"class_list":["post-66882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-agence-france-presse","tag-ambrose-gaines","tag-america","tag-american-problem","tag-american-team","tag-asia","tag-astonishing-attack","tag-athlete-resources","tag-athlete-voices","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-below-par-performances","tag-blistering-attack","tag-brazil","tag-brutal-sport","tag-challenging-situation","tag-china","tag-coaching-community","tag-complete-transparency","tag-declining-performances","tag-eastern-asia","tag-elite-competitors","tag-europe","tag-expressed-concerns","tag-female-participants","tag-foreign-swimmers","tag-france","tag-gold-medallist","tag-health-issues","tag-independent-review","tag-initial-steps","tag-leadership-trickles","tag-lengthy-statement","tag-life-inside","tag-lowest-percentage","tag-medals-table","tag-mental-health-issues","tag-michael-phelps","tag-oceania","tag-ongoing-mental-health","tag-ongoing-struggles","tag-operational-controls","tag-pandemic-membership-decline","tag-paris","tag-personal-battles","tag-rio-de-janeiro","tag-ryan-lochte","tag-singapore","tag-sinking-returns","tag-social-media-account","tag-south-america","tag-south-eastern-asia","tag-sport-faces","tag-sport-struggle","tag-sports","tag-streamline-athlete-services","tag-swim-team","tag-swimming-powers","tag-systemic-change","tag-western-europe","tag-wholesome-image","tag-world-championships","tag-world-record-holders"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66882\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}