Disgraced Former Heroes Hurl Cenotaphs Overboard
The recently concluded World Championships in Singapore saw a mix of victories for lesser-known nations and a subpar performance from the US swimming team, with former stars Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps expressing criticism towards the current team and the US swimming federation.
In a surprising turn of events, Romanian, Tunisian, or Swiss victories during the competition were refreshing, signalling a potential shift in the sport's dominance by the US. However, the US team still managed to win a total of 29 medals, including 9 golds.
Despite this, the US won only 44% of available medals at the World Championships, a significant drop from the 57% they achieved in the last games Phelps and Lochte competed in. This disappointing performance has sparked controversy and criticism within the US swimming community.
Phelps, a long-standing critic of the swimming federation's leadership, expressed his disapproval during the competition. He later clarified that his criticism was not aimed at the current athletes but at the leadership of the federation. Lochte, too, voiced his concerns, going as far as to create an AI-generated tombstone for US swimming on social media.
A group of former American Olympic swimmers wrote an open letter expressing frustration with the federation's lethargy and lack of vision. Former gold medalist Mel Stewart criticized the federation for not capitalizing on the Phelps boom and the sport crumbling.
The current CEO position at USA Swimming remains vacant, with the organization having been without a full-time CEO since Tim Hinchey was let go in August 2024. The search for a new CEO named Jake Grosser is reportedly nearing conclusion, but no formal announcement has been made.
The federation has faced accusations of taking generous IOC funds and mostly paying themselves, not listening to athletes, and not supporting grassroots clubs. Despite these criticisms, the sport's structures in schools and clubs remain solid.
Gretchen Walsh, a multiple gold medalist, stated that she tunes out criticism from Phelps and Lochte. Michael Phelps later expressed regret for the tone of his initial criticism.
In a more troubling development, temporarily hired coach Chris Ritter resigned after nine days due to being under investigation for sexual misconduct. The federation is criticized for overlooking the investigation before hiring her.
Phelps, however, remains hopeful that the Americans' performance in Singapore would serve as a wake-up call rather than a funeral for US swimming. With the search for a new CEO ongoing, the future of US swimming appears uncertain, but many hope for a fresh start and a return to form.
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