British…err…Paraguayan…err…Swimmer Ben Hockin is having a bit of an identity crisis at the moment. The swimmer, who was born in Colombia to a Parguayan mother and a British father, has been suspended by FINA for making an improper swimming-nationality change. The move is retroactive to May 23, 2010.
Hockin was a member of the 2008 Beijing Olympic team for the Brits, where he swam on their 8th place 400 yard free relay team. In March of this year, however, he competed for Parguay at the South American Games. There, he won three silvers (100 free, 200 free, 100 fly) and a bronze (50 fly). Unfortunately, he forgot to notify FINA that he would be changing his official nationality and file the appropriate paperwork.
FINA has ruled that he would be allowed to keep the medals from the South American Games, however.
Apparently, Hockin never notified the British Olympic Association either, because as of this morning he is still listed as a member of “Team GB”. There is also reference to this situation in a March writeup from Swimnews.com about the British Trials earlier this year, which claims that “British Swimming (is) maintaining that permission has neither been sought (as required under FINA rules) nor given.”
Looking ahead to the 2011 World Championships, Hockin’s times from the South American Games (which do not qualify as an official qualifying event) are just off of the “consideration” time standards for Shanghai. After his suspension is lifted, there will only be 9 remaining opportunities for him to hit qualifying marks. Eight of those meets are in Europe, with the other being in Taiwan.
The last swimming nationality change that garnered this much attention was when breaststroker Mike Alexandrov changed from Bulgarian to American competitively. Before that, 2004 Spanish Olympian Olaf Wildeboer, older brother of the more recognizable Aschwin, changed his allegiance to the Netherlands. Aschwin continues to compete for Spain. Their father, Paulus, is the Danish National Team coach.
The Paraguaya Swimming Federation was fined $1,500 dollars and the British Swimming Association also earned a $500 assessment.