tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post1117206099499429861..comments2024-01-13T00:38:28.549-08:00Comments on Southern California Aquatics SCAQ Swim Club: "Oh Noes" - FINA calls for emergency suit meeting, Coach Alan Thompson has been asked to attend!Tony Austinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-8640937425610686342009-05-08T10:09:00.000-07:002009-05-08T10:09:00.000-07:00You have made a strong case. In fact I edited base...You have made a strong case. In fact I edited based upon your criticisms.<br /><br />I acknowledge that Thompson and crew will not be determining which suits get selected or how the process goes.<br /><br />But I can't pull back on my opinion of a Speedo bias if the articles quoted him correctly.Tony Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-32780216641169779962009-05-08T10:02:00.000-07:002009-05-08T10:02:00.000-07:00That's not a direct quote, that's just the summary...That's not a direct quote, that's just the summary of the article written by the author. That bit in the summary about the LZR is based on what I quoted you before. I understand Australia is sponsored by Speedo, but you are really overstating Thompson's influence at FINA. The new specifications were decided on by the FINA bureau. The Coaches Commission did not have a vote. The Coaches Commission will not have any involvement in performing the tests to determine which suits will and won't meet the new specs.Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-68390775093960412132009-05-08T09:48:00.000-07:002009-05-08T09:48:00.000-07:00This is what was said: "... AUSTRALIAN swimming co...This is what was said: "... AUSTRALIAN swimming coach Alan Thompson says there may be swimsuits on the market that will not pass the new guidelines put in place at the weekend by the sport's governing body, but the Speedo LZR Racer won't be among them and his team will be able to wear them at the Rome world championships in July. ..."<br /><br />If I post info regarding Coach Thompson's ties to Speedo much like Mark Schubert's, would you then agree to my point?Tony Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-31434476232081699402009-05-08T09:34:00.000-07:002009-05-08T09:34:00.000-07:00Tony,
The first article says this: "Asked if he w...Tony,<br /><br />The first article says this: "Asked if he was concerned about his team's suit supplier, Speedo, and the availability of its LZR Racer suit for Rome, Thompson said Speedo had assured him of compliance."<br /><br />Thompson is not "quasi-guaranteeing" that the LZR will be approved, he is simply saying that Speedo has assured him that it meets the new FINA requirements. <br /><br />The new swimsuit specifications were decided by the FINA bureau. The Coaches Commission has no role whatsoever in determining which suits do and don't meet the new specs. As for the supposed conflict of interest, the vice-president of the Coaches Commission is swedish coach Leiff Carlsson. The Swedish swimteam is sponsored by Arena, which makes the unapproved X-Glide suit that Bernard wore at the French Nationals..Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-82760616768410855912009-05-08T08:50:00.000-07:002009-05-08T08:50:00.000-07:00I edited the articleI edited the articleTony Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-39974632803916427282009-05-08T08:35:00.000-07:002009-05-08T08:35:00.000-07:00Steve: Alan Thompson is the National Team Director...Steve: Alan Thompson is the National Team Director for Australia and FINA Coaches Commission Secretary.<br /><br />Correct, I think I may have misinterpreted who is explaining what, but the fact remains that Thompson apparently has a dog in this fight and that dog is Speedo. He has been critical of Speedo competitors yet seemingly excited about the prospect of the LZR being the "last suit standing." The fact that he is connected to FINA in the way that he is concerns me too.Tony Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-48732467745139057712009-05-08T08:19:00.000-07:002009-05-08T08:19:00.000-07:00But he is biased towards Speedo, I say that becaus...But he is biased towards Speedo, I say that because of the comments he made regarding how he is sure his team will be able to wear the LZR in Rome. how can you accept a roll within FINA when that conflict of interest exists?Tony Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-67404800069236708412009-05-08T08:06:00.000-07:002009-05-08T08:06:00.000-07:00You've clearly misinterpreted the article. FINA wi...You've clearly misinterpreted the article. FINA will be holding a meeting to explain the approval process <I>to</I> the national coaches.Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-49399428955629292782009-05-08T07:53:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:53:00.000-07:00Alan Thompson is going as the representative from ...Alan Thompson is going as the representative from the FINA Coaches Commission where he is, i believe, either VP or Secretary of that commission,,, yes he is the National Coach but also holds a position within FINADANnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-26822750831051311762009-05-08T07:07:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:07:00.000-07:00The lawsuit: IT is moving forward and apparently ...The lawsuit: IT is moving forward and apparently the preliminary pre-trial ruling will most likely be the final ruling. The trial is scheduled for March 2010.<br /><br />Both sides are in the discovery phase asking each for evidence.<br /><br />I will be writing more about it soon.Tony Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-51396662533467233212009-05-08T07:01:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:01:00.000-07:00But Thompson, according to the article, will be on...But Thompson, according to the article, will be one of the fellows, and thy are all men, explaining the approval process. I am sorry, it just looks like "the fix is in!"Tony Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00109365938555421509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-52874568660916641032009-05-08T06:17:00.000-07:002009-05-08T06:17:00.000-07:00There doesn't seem to be anything interesting in e...There doesn't seem to be anything interesting in either of those articles. Just a simple statement that some suits may be judged to not meet FINAs guidelines on buoyancy/thickness, and that Speedo have assured him that the LZR does. Also doesn't seem too surprising that he would be invited to a meeting of national coaches where FINA will explain the new approval process, since he's, you know, a national coach.Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37388994.post-12238927665941830722009-05-08T05:50:00.000-07:002009-05-08T05:50:00.000-07:00Hey Tony:
This sounds just like what happened a n...Hey Tony:<br /><br />This sounds just like what happened a number of years ago to the TYR Aquashift. As soon as a suit appears to challenge Speedo, suddenly that suit doesn’t conform to the rules anymore.<br /><br />Do you know how the TYR lawsuit against Speedo turned out?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com