The International Swimming League released a statement today criticizing what the league called “bullying” by national federations.
Though the statement doesn’t mention any specific federations, it comes just a week after news that the majority of Australia’s swimmers will not participate in the ISL this season. SwimSwam has learned that in at least one case, Swimming Australia denied an athlete an exemption to the nation’s international travel ban, in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The full ISL statement is below:
“The current health crisis should not be used to entrench existing vested interests.
It is unacceptable that some national swimming federation’s leaders, knowingly and cynically use the pandemic to intimidate athletes who wish to participate in other competitions.
Athletes must be protected not only in their physical integrity but also in their economic and social integrity. They need to compete or risk imperilling their livelihoods.
ISL stands for the right of all athletes to freely live their swimming life, believes it is time to put power back into their hands, to champion their right to make a living they deserve, and to have a greater say in the way their sport is run.
The recent bullying and pressure on some of the athletes who are already in a precarious position is a political manoeuvre and contrary to the very spirit of sport.”
#YesToCompetition #NoToBullying
ISL Bubble? Still Unclear
The ISL touted a “strict medical protocol” and a commitment to “offering a safe environment to all athletes and staff,” arguing that national federations are using the pandemic to intimidate athletes.
But the league has also not released the full details of its medical protocols, even with the season just over three weeks away. The five-week regular season will take place in Budapest, Hungary. Athletes, coaches and officials will be tested for COVID-19 twice before departing for Budapest, two more times within 48 hours of arrival, and then every five days during the season. Meets will be conducted without spectators.
But the league declined to answer our question on whether athletes and staff will be quaratined to hotels and training facilities while in Budapest. The NBA conducted its season in such a ‘bubble’, while other pro sports leagues like the NFL and MLB have not. We’ve followed up with the ISL about the potential for a quarantine, but the league only says that it will publish its protocol “soon.”
Australian Short Course Nationals Conflict
One potential conflict for Australian athletes has been the Australian Short Course Swimming Championships, which are scheduled for November 26. That would be about two weeks after the conclusion of the ISL‘s regular season.
Athletes competing in the postseason would see their ISL commitments continue into December, and the nation’s current restrictions on international travel might leave athletes unable to train or compete for some time after their trip to Budapest, if they are allowed to return to the country at all.
The ISL framed the conflict as national federations attacking athletes’ ability to earn money. But it’s also worth noting that Swimming Australia funds athletes through its Performance Pathway Program, and generally at a higher level ($15,000 to $40,000 a year, including coach and program costs) than ISL salaries (which hit $15,000 per athlete this year).
The major issue for Australians is not so much getting out of the country but getting back in,.
This is due to the Australian Govt quota system cap on returning travellors.
The cap was imposed to enable the Govt to provide & cope with the compulsory quarantine accommodation facilities, costs, etc. There are still several thousand families that have been & still are stranded overseas for up to 6 months awaiting flights etc. This has impacted on the airline industry which has had to reduce the number of flights in accordance wuth the cap limitations and numerous last minute cancellations have resulted.
Further issues relate to state border lockdowns which means double quarantining (4 weeks) if a… Read more »
This BS. No one is allowed to leave Australia – only a handful of actual urgent or essential business reasons.
I love swimming but I love that swimmers’ health are being considered.
Imagine the shitstorm if the Comp was in the US. No one would go. It’s a total liability to the whole swimming population.
ISL is lucky to get anyone anywhere at this point.
If they’re subtly targeting Australia it’s a not a good commercial move to oils off the Aussie stakeholders if they want to eventually bring ISL to the country especially since Australia is probably the country with the most passionate swimming fans
It’s not so subtle. And as more swimmers (Italians then others) opt out, the ISL is going to look even more stupid for this comment.
Swim Swam should poll the ISL swimmers, and I would bet the primary reason for them joining ISL is that it provides a great training and competition opportunity. Amazing that any federations would take steps to prevent that, when they cannot provide such an opportunity by their own choice (or cowardice). Thank you ISL!!
I think the main reason is money
I don’t think the ISL would allow them to respond, but I would bet it is the money, which is not great for most right now, but the hopes that the money will grow in the future.
That, and to just generally thumb their nose at FINA.
I think it’s a pretty big failure on USA swimming’s part to not put their heads together and to procure pool space and provide a bubble for training our national team.
Twisted self-serving logic. Millions upon millions of people have had their livelihoods interrupted or ended by the pandemic. But pro swimmers are entitled because they’re….special?
I always took pride that swimmers didn’t whine, and if they did (like say Amanda Weir after Volmer was named to the finals relay), they were shamed into oblivion. And now this statement. smh
Yes but a lot of sportspeople are currently competing overseas. Just not swimmers?
Are other Australian (for example) athletes sponsored by the country given travel exemptions? ISL swimmers don’t fit any of the main reasons for exemption for Australia:
A person whose travel is essential for the conduct of critical industries and business
A person travelling as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including providing aid
Yes, track and field athletes have been competing in Europe over the last couple of months.
I thought it was her father-in-law who whined. Did Amanda do any whining herself?
They’re turning this into a clown show.
Wait until you read the breakdown of the rating system…
I just tried to read it and what the heck…. SwimSwam should have an article just about that. Hilariously bad
https://staging.swimswam.com/the-new-isl-ratings-system/
Correction, clown show on steroids.
Shades of Trevor Milton
Lol, actually no. Pulling Trevor Milton means announcing Dressel in Lane 4 but actually sending another swimmer to swim, with Dressel written on his cap.
Since the ISL is basically just trying to make the rich get richer with jackpot times, stealing points and rewarding the top 1% competing in the ISL instead of closing the gap between the top earners who have enough money anyway and the normal athletes, they shouldn’t really talk about bullying;) just my humble opinion