Janet Evans Should Be The Boss

Here on Swimwatch we seldom discuss international swimming politics. There are two good reasons for this. First, I don’t know much about the subject. And second, there is more than enough in New Zealand to keep Swimwatch occupied. However there was a headline on SwimVortex today that did attract my interest. This is what it said:

Janet Evans ‘in race’ for FINA top table; may lead to 1st woman president, in Ledecky era

It seems that Janet Evans is preparing to put her name forward to be the United States’ representative on the ruling FINA Bureau. That is great news for several reasons.

First Janet is a woman. That might sound strange but FINA is in serious need of some gender balance. The central FINA Bureau currently has thirty-five men and three women. Only in this most recent Olympic cycle has FINA appointed more than one woman. The ten Honorary members and the seven executive members are all male. Over all the organisation’s committees there are 179 men and 48 women. In a sport where more than 50% of the participants are women it is a travesty that 79% of the governing positions should be held by men.

New Zealand hasn’t helped. The most recent list I can find is in the 2016/17 Annual Report. This tells me that four New Zealand appointments (Gerrard, Clarke, West and Eagles) are male and one (Huckins) is female. New Zealand needs to set a better example than that. And so simply because of her gender I am favourably disposed to the appointment of Janet Evans.

Second, she really knows the sport of swimming. What Katie Ledecky is today Janet Evans was in the 1980s. Just consider this record; four Olympic Gold Medals and one Silver, five World Championship Gold Medals, one Silver and one Bronze and World Records over 400, 800 and 1500 meters. Her 800 meter world record of 8:16.22 stood unbroken for nineteen years from 1989 to 2008. For five years from 1985 to 1990 Evans was undefeated over 400, 800 and 1500 meters. The FINA Bureau could do with some real swimming knowledge at its top table. Perhaps she would temper FINA’s current rush to reward murderous dictators like the Russian President.

Third, she is young. She is 46 years old. The guy she is seeking to replace, Dale Neuburger, is pretty typical of FINA Bureau members. He has been FINA Vice President since 2000. It is time for him to move aside. The movement in swimming towards a more professional sport and overdue gender issues is work for a younger mind. Janet Evans seems well placed to address those problems, or as Craig Lord put it, she stands head and shoulders above the likely male candidates whose names are doing the rounds of pool talk.”

Fourth, she is strong enough to effect change. One of the three women on the current FINA Bureau is the South African breaststroke Olympic Champion, Penny Heyns. Recent indecision by the Bureau on the Safe Sport issue suggests that Penny Heyns and the others are in serious need of help. The “athlete first” concept still has a long way to go in the sport of swimming. And that’s just as true in New Zealand as it is in Switzerland.

And fifth, I have some knowledge of one of the coaches who guided Janet Evans’ career. Through most of her swimming she was coached by Bud McAllister. I have had no personal contact with him. But I do know Mark Schubert who also assisted Janet Evans and also was coach of her young and talented daughter. I have coached four swimmers who have also swum with Mark Schubert. I have tremendous respect for the man. He is tough, uncompromising, knowledgeable and honest. The fact that Janet Evans survived and thrived with Mark Schubert is all the recommendation I need. No one with character defects last with Mark Schubert. Anyone who wants to know whether Janet Evans has what it takes to represent the sport can rest easy. Of course she has – she survived Schubert.

So that’s the five personal reasons that the selection of Janet Evans would be a good move. But there is more than that. A senior source close to the USA Swimming leadership told SwimVortex;

“Because this person represents the strongest and most influential swimming nation on earth: arguably, USA Swimming is the only federation that could impose changes on FINA. That’s a matter of choice – and the world is waiting and watching for true leadership. FINA cannot possibly afford to have non-cooperation with the USA as the strongest team in its sales package to television and related media.”

SwimVortex then checked on the qualities that the USA representative should possess. Here is the list;

·         Free of conflicting interests from their gainful employment.

·         Financially secure enough to resist the FINA system (of grace and favour gravy train lifestyles)

·         Corruption free, “both perceptually and in reality”.

·         Intent on change and intent not to get sucked into the ”go along to get along” malaise and assimilation at the heart of FINA culture

·         Knowledgeable about international sport politics.

·         Supported by their employee for travel, time away from work because the position is ‘voluntary’;

·         Widely known and respected within the sport and by the media, globally.

·         Willing to press for an ‘athlete first’ culture

·         Willing to move FINA into this century by placing financial priority on the athlete not the administration (the annual budget for which is often greater than the total amount of prize money spent on athletes)

·         Willing to shift FINA into a role of cooperation with its major stakeholders, athletes at the helm and coaches, too

 

Janet Evens has meets most of those requirements. We can only hope she makes her way through the American political minefield and ends up sitting at FINA’s top table.

It is off the subject, but swimming in New Zealand could do worse than examine the list of requirements for the American job and apply the same criteria to those who wish to represent New Zealand in the sport’s highest court.

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