Standard Nine – Accuracy

 I did not agree with the centralised training program introduced and promoted by Jan Cameron. I think that policy has done immeasurable harm to New Zealand swimming. The reasons for that belief have been discussed many times on Swimwatch. It would be hypocritical in the extreme to change that view because of the sad circumstances of her death. I certainly have no intention of artificially sanitising anyone’s legacy. No one, least of all Jan Cameron, deserves that dishonesty.

However I also appreciate that many swimmers, coaches and officials were closely involved with Jan during the twenty years she was in New Zealand. It is right and proper that her death will cause them a profound sense of loss. It is good that many of them convey that loss by putting their thoughts on Facebook and other social media sites. They express a common theme. For example:

A huge loss to the swimming world especially, para swimming. Very sad news.

A huge loss to the swimming industry, coaches and athletes. Jan was a remarkable woman who will be sadly missed. Condolences to her family.

Condolences and respect to Jan’s family. Strong woman that has lead the way for many female coaches.

A very sad loss…..she gave so much to the swimming community and was a great personality!

It is also right and proper that TV3 and Television New Zealand should recognise Jan’s death in the sport’s section of their 6.00pm news broadcast. But it is not right for anyone to use Jan’s death to manipulate the truth. Padding an obituary causes harm to a subject who does not deserve that dishonesty. For example the report on Jan’s death by Television New Zealand was way over the top. Here is what their “news” report said:

Jan Cameron; not only one of our best swim coaches but one of our best sport’s coaches, full stop.

Some of Jan’s star pupils remember a woman who lifted the sport here to new levels.

We take a look back at a unique and ground breaking career.

Cameron is being remembered as a woman with a huge passion for the sport that she excelled in as an athlete and coach. Her move the New Zealand was a game changer for kiwi swimmers; building the North Shore Club into a power house before taking on the national job. Certainly one in a million.        

Is all of that or any of it true? Not really is the answer. I do not believe Television New Zealand do the memory and the legacy of Jan Cameron any favours by telling lies. Andrew Saville’s job is to report the news; not rewrite it. Standard Nine of the Broadcasting Act 1989 requires Television New Zealand to be accurate; to tell the truth. Instead their report is stunningly similar to Shawn Spicer’s, “largest crowd ever, period.” So let’s look more closely at their report and see why.

One of our best sport’s coaches, full stop

One of New Zealand’s best sport’s coaches is a pretty high bar. TV1 is comparing Jan’s record with coaches who have won many Olympic Gold medals; coaches like Arthur Lydiard, Arch Jelley, Rusty Robertson, Duncan Laing and Dick Tonks. They are also putting Jan in the same category as New Zealand’s stunningly successful team coaches, Sir Graham Henry, Sir Brian Lahore, Steve Hansen and Sir Fred Allan. In twenty years in New Zealand Jan’s swimmers never won an Olympic medal of any colour. She was a good coach but certainly not “one of our best, full stop”.

Lifted the sport here to new levels

Jan was in charge of New Zealand Swimming for three Olympic Games (2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing) and three Commonwealth Games (2002 Manchester, 2006 Melbourne and 2010 Delhi).

At the Olympic Games millions of dollars were invested in Jan’s swimming plans and the reward was two final swims in Beijing; but no medals. The Beijing Games ranks seventh on the NZ swimming results table behind 1996 Atlanta, 1992 Barcelona, 1988 Seoul, 1952 Helsinki, 1984 Los Angeles and 1976 Montreal. The Athens and Sydney Games each rank thirteenth equal.

At the Commonwealth Games, 2006 in Melbourne ranks ninth, 2010 in Delhi ranks eleventh and 2002 in Manchester ranks fourteenth equal in the medal table. Over the three Games swimmers, not all of them coached by Jan, won one gold medal, five silver medals and seven bronze medals.

Jan’s Olympic record gets nowhere close to Loader’s two Gold medals in Atlanta or his Silver medal in Barcelona or Mosse and Kingsman’s Bronze medals in Seoul or Jean Stewarts Bronze medal in Helsinki. During Jan’s years in charge the results simply do not support the view that she was responsible for “lifting the sport here to new levels”. When Jan took over between the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games, the collapse in the quality of New Zealand swimming was long and steep.

Unique and ground breaking career. Certainly one in a million.           

With the addition of one letter – an “s” on the end of the word million – I agree with this. Jan brought a bucket full of government money into swimming. Millions were poured into the sport in those years. Swimming changed from being lean, independent and self-financing to a bloated, state social welfare beneficiary. That was ground breaking all right.

Television New Zealand should hang their head in shame. They do no one, least of all Jan Cameron, any favours at all by their false superlatives. Certainly Jan changed New Zealand swimming. There was much more money to spend. Many more bureaucrats were employed. However the facts and the numbers do not lie. Jan’s results at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games were poor. New Zealand swimming has not recovered from the welfare dependency Jan Cameron introduced.

The two tables below list the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games in the order of swimming success. The Games while Jan was in charge of New Zealand swimming are shown in bold capital letters.

  Commonwealth Games Gold Silver Bronze Total Medals Final
1 Edinburgh 1986 2 3 1 6 na
2 Auckland 1990 2 2 3 7 na
3 Edmonton 1978 2 2 2 6 na
4 Christchurch 1974 2 1 4 7 na
5 Victoria 1994 1 5 2 8 na
6= Auckland 1950 1 2 3 6 na
6= Kingston 1966 1 2 3 6 na
8 Vancouver 1954 1 2 1 4 na
9 MELBOURNE 2006 1 1 4 6 NA
10 Glasgow 2014 1 1 0 2 8
11 DELHI 2010 0 3 2 5 9
12 Hamilton 1930 0 2 0 2 na
13 Perth 1962 0 1 2 3 na
14= Hamilton 1958 0 1 1 2 na
14= MANCHESTER 2002 0 1 1 2 NA
16 Kuala Lumper 1998 0 0 2 2 na
17= Sydney 1938 0 0 1 1 na
17= London 1934 0 0 1 1 na
17= Brisbane 1982 0 0 1 1 na
17= Edinburgh 1970 0 0 1 1 na

 

  Olympic Games Gold Silver Bronze Total Medals Final
1 1996 Atlanta 2 0 0 2 3
2 1992 Barcelona 0 1 0 1 4
3 1988 Seoul 0 0 2 2 2
4 1952 Helsinki 0 0 1 1 1
5 1984 Los Angeles 0 0 0 0 6
6 1976 Montreal 0 0 0 0 3
7= 2008 BEIJING 0 0 0 0 2
7= 2012 London 0 0 0 0 2
7= 1956 Melbourne 0 0 0 0 2
7= 2012 London 0 0 0 0 2
11= 1972 Munich 0 0 0 0 1
11= 1968 Mexico City 0 0 0 0 1
13= 2004 ATHENS 0 0 0 0 0
13= 2000 SYDNEY 0 0 0 0 0
13= 2016 Rio 0 0 0 0 0
16= 1960 Rome
16= 1980 Moscow

 

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