Gumleaf
August 14th, 2008, 04:31 AM
18:59 AEST Thu Aug 14 2008
Australia's head swim coach says it's a shame the spectre of doping arises every time there's a great performance in the pool.
"Swimming on the whole is a clean sport," Alan Thompson said after Australia's record-smashing surprise in the Olympic women's 200m freestyle relay.
"Too much, people are looking for reasons (for record-breaking performances) other than the real reason - swimmers are swimming really well and coaches are coaching really well.
"If you set the bar high, people will lift to that bar.
"It's such a shame these days that every great performance has suspicion attached to it."
Australia's relay team carved almost six seconds off the old world record to win gold.
Thompson said suspicion still shadowed swimmers from the old East Germany 20 years after its doping regime was exposed.
Asked about China's strong showing in the pool at the Beijing Games, he said: "I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt, and some accolades for their performance."
Many credit the new LZR swimsuits for the deluge of world records and Thompson agrees a number of factors are at play.
But doping wasn't one of them, he said, adding that the first five place-getters in Olympic events were drug tested, as well as other finalists at random.
Some Australians had already been tested several times, he said.
World swim body FINA and the IOC were working hard to ensure swimming was a clean sport, he said.
© AAP 2008
i hate when people automatically do this after a dominant or suprising result. until they have evidence, they should shut the hell up and say nothing at all.
Australia's head swim coach says it's a shame the spectre of doping arises every time there's a great performance in the pool.
"Swimming on the whole is a clean sport," Alan Thompson said after Australia's record-smashing surprise in the Olympic women's 200m freestyle relay.
"Too much, people are looking for reasons (for record-breaking performances) other than the real reason - swimmers are swimming really well and coaches are coaching really well.
"If you set the bar high, people will lift to that bar.
"It's such a shame these days that every great performance has suspicion attached to it."
Australia's relay team carved almost six seconds off the old world record to win gold.
Thompson said suspicion still shadowed swimmers from the old East Germany 20 years after its doping regime was exposed.
Asked about China's strong showing in the pool at the Beijing Games, he said: "I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt, and some accolades for their performance."
Many credit the new LZR swimsuits for the deluge of world records and Thompson agrees a number of factors are at play.
But doping wasn't one of them, he said, adding that the first five place-getters in Olympic events were drug tested, as well as other finalists at random.
Some Australians had already been tested several times, he said.
World swim body FINA and the IOC were working hard to ensure swimming was a clean sport, he said.
© AAP 2008
i hate when people automatically do this after a dominant or suprising result. until they have evidence, they should shut the hell up and say nothing at all.