Good manners require an explanation as to why Swimwatch has been silent since March. It is simple. I was oh so very tired of Swimming New Zealand politics. I had better things to do with my time, looking after some very talented people in the West Auckland Aquatics Swim Club. I am sure the preparation of our fastest swimmers for the New Zealand Olympic Trials was compromised by the time I devoted to the reform campaign. That should not happen and will not happen again. My first responsibility is to a dozen young New Zealanders who toil up to 100 kilometres a week in a west Auckland swimming pool. For two years, the charlatans in Swimming New Zealand’s head office had been a distraction. It was time to address that imbalance. It was time for Swimwatch to get out of the way.

Besides, a Review of Swimming New Zealand had been ordered. Until its findings were reported there was very little for Swimwatch to say. Well, today that changed. Chris Moller reported on the Review’s conclusions. He said that Mike Byrne and the Board should go. A trimmed down Board and a new Chief Executive should replace the old guard. Swimming New Zealand should be controlled by a Board of three elected and three appointed directors. Swimming New Zealand should get out of learn to swim. The federal system of independent regions should be retained. The regions should be governed by updated and similar constitutions. Clearly it was time for Swimwatch to express and opinion.

Three months ago I went to Wellington and met Chris Moller. I wrote a Swimwatch story about the encounter. The story concluded by saying, “There is however another way. There is a way where the “state” observes properly defined limits and creates an environment where we all can do our jobs; where the “state” avoids the neglect and the dictatorial control that have characterized its performance in the past. I can only hope Moller and Suckling’s report reflects that middle ground. After Wellington, here at Swimwatch, we do have hope.”

Today that hope was rewarded. In full measure Moller’s report is a victory for Jessica, Justin, Abigail, Lara, Rhi, Alex, Reka, Jane, Amelia, Billy and a thousand other swimmers who want to succeed in this sport. Moller has just given every swimmer in New Zealand a chance. The people he has sacked, the structure he proposes and the reforms he recommends should mean the next generation of New Zealand swimmers will not be limited by their master’s failings. I feel almost biblical with relief, “The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

There is a concern. The reforms proposed are good and necessary. Those directly affected however have seen off half a dozen similar reports in the past. They are experts at the art of deception and survival. Moller has done a good job, a very good job of talking the talk – but can he walk the walk? Can he deliver on his recommendations? Will Mike Byrne actually clear his desk? Will the Board resign? Will project Vanguard disappear? We now know what’s been written. We have yet to find out if this report has more substance than all those that have gone before. We still have hope, but, with good reason, we are very cautious.

There is one leading actor who is going to come out of this exercise “smelling of roses”. Thanks to Moller’s wisdom Peter Miskimmin, the CEO of Sport and Recreation New Zealand will look like the great redeemer; the man who commissioned the Review that saved the sport of swimming. And all that is not true. This Review was forced on a reluctant and obstinate Miskimmin by the Coalition of Swimming New Zealand regions. Miskimmin was dragged kicking and screaming into the Review process. He agreed to fund the process only because he had no option. Swimming New Zealand was falling apart. The Review recommended by the Coalition of Regions was the only way out. The price tag of $600,000 was a small price to pay to save Miskimmin’s hide.

Miskimmin has seen reports on Swimming New Zealand come and go. His hired guns on the old Swimming New Zealand Board have defended and preserved the Board that Moller now wants to sack. Miskimmin has long been a supporter of central socialist management in sport; a long way from the federal regional government recommended by the Moller Review. There should be no misunderstanding of the role of Miskimmin in the saga of Swimming New Zealand’s woes. He was the great enabler. He provided the political and financial support that founded and preserved a system of swimming management that Moller now calls “dysfunctional”. The sport of swimming in New Zealand has struggled for a decade because Miskimmin actively encouraged and supported its poor management.

Moller’s report is effectively a condemnation of Miskimmin’s management. Miskimmin had personal representatives on the Swimming New Zealand Board. He approved Swimming New Zealand’s corporate plans to expand into learn to swim. He supported directors who stayed on the Board beyond their constitutional licence. Everything that Moller censures was approved and paid for by Miskimmin. If it is right for Byrne to be putting his personal belongings in a cardboard box this weekend and closing the door of his office for the last time; if it is right for a dozen directors to leave the Swimming New Zealand Board Room for the last time – then it is certainly essential that their founder and funder leave with them. The Captain has a responsibility to stay with his sinking ship. The old Swimming New Zealand is Miskimmin’s ship. He designed it, he paid for it and he captained it. He was the enabler. He has a responsibility to leave with his discredited regime.

In his Auckland meeting Moller asked the audience to “play the ball not the man”. That might sound noble. However Moller knows full well that the problems at Swimming New Zealand are manmade. There is nothing wrong with the ball in this sport. It’s the team that needed replacing. That’s why Moller is getting rid of the Board and the CEO. That’s also why Miskimmin should be told to go as well. When it comes to Peter Miskimmin, playing the man is entirely appropriate. He, after all, is the problem.

Wikipedia is an easy to use and quick reference document. I had reason today to look up the meaning of “dirty tricks”; the type used by Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal. Here is what Wikipedia had to say on the subject.

Dirty tricks are unethical, duplicitous, slanderous or illegal tactics employed to destroy or diminish the effectiveness of political or business opponents; manufactured, irrelevant, cruel and incorrect rumors or outright falsehoods designed to damage or destroy an opponent are easily described as dirty tricks. They serve to tie up the opponent into defending against and answering false charges rather than explaining their policies and platform.

The definition perfectly describes an incident involving Swimming New Zealand and the current Review Committee that I experienced yesterday. I was asked to join a conference call with two members of the current Swimming New Zealand Review Committee, the Chairman, Chris Moller and Sue Suckling. You may remember they are the same two members of the Review Committee that I met in Wellington a month ago.

I assumed that the purpose of the conference call was to follow up on our constructive Wellington discussion; a not altogether unreasonable conclusion given that the first sentence in their email invitation said, “Good Morning David, Chris and Sue would like to have a follow up interview with you via teleconference.”

But this telephone conversation had nothing to do with “following up” on our Wellington discussion. In the words of Wikipedia that description of our telephone call was unethical and duplicitous. This conversation was a “kangaroo court” aimed at launching a personal attack that would destroy me and the views I represented. And what vehicle did Moller and Suckling choose to make their assault? They chose the protest I made at the 2012 Age Group Nationals regarding the depth of the Kilbirnie Pool.

For thirty minutes I was assaulted and bullied by a stream of questions clearly aimed at proving my protest was ill-timed and malicious; just another David Wright “beat-up”. Swimming New Zealand had clearly lobbied Moller and Suckling with their version of the Kilbirnie protest in order to discredit the author of the protest and trash his swimming views. Moller and Suckling appeared only too happy to gather evidence to support Mike Byrne’s “David Wright dirty tricks crusade”.

How else would you explain this series of questions?

• Why did you leave it until the first day of the meet to file your protest?
• Why haven’t you protested before?
• Were you working in collusion with the Auckland Swimming Region when you filed the protest?
• Are you going to take the protest further?
• Is the Auckland Swimming Region going to take the protest further?
• When did you find out about the depth of the Kilbirnie Pool?
• Who actually filed the protest and what was the sequence of events after that?
• What was the name of the Auckland Swimming Region’s team manager?
• What’s the name of the President of the West Auckland Aquatics Club?
• What prompted you to file the protest now?

And so it went on. Thirty minutes spent demanding to know why I had protested an illegal and dangerous pool. Thirty minutes spent trying to find out why I had protested and the procedure I had followed. Now there are two things I think are relevant about their line of interrogation.

First, what on God’s good earth did anything in this conference call have to do with the work of the Swimming New Zealand Review Committee? I do hope Moller and Suckling are not charging for the time they spent on this conference call. They are employed to investigate the structure of swimming in New Zealand; not the motives and method used by a West Auckland swim coach to file a protest at a swim meet. I can find nothing in the terms of reference directing the Committee’s work that suggests protests at a swim meet should draw this amount of attention. The motive for the call was only ever to establish that the protest was the work of a natural born trouble maker, hell bent on destroying the sport. Never mind the message, get the messenger and get him good.

Secondly, through the entire call, the laser-like focus of the conversation was the motive and process used by me to file the protest. Not one mention was made, not one question was asked, about the decision of Swimming New Zealand to send 650 swimmers headfirst into a pool that the world governing body of swimming, FINA, says is too shallow and is dangerous; like breaking your neck dangerous. All Moller and Suckling were interested in was, is David Wright a trouble maker and how can we manufacture this protest to prove it? Not one thought or question about the right to govern of Swimming New Zealand officials and employees who put their members in harm’s way and describe any effort to curb their irresponsibility as a “beat-up”. It is a sad day when the government of New Zealand’s money is spent finding fault with the reputation of a swimming coach ahead of the welfare and safety of 650 young people. The politics of swimming may be of interest to you Chris Moller and Sue Suckling. But you have no right or authority to put politics ahead of the good health of swimming members.

It is worthwhile repeating the Wikipedia definition of “dirty tricks”.

Dirty tricks are unethical, duplicitous, slanderous or illegal tactics employed to destroy or diminish the effectiveness of political or business opponents; manufactured, irrelevant, cruel and incorrect rumors or outright falsehoods designed to damage or destroy an opponent are easily described as dirty tricks. They serve to tie up the opponent into defending against and answering false charges rather than explaining their policies and platform.

Well I certainly spent a portion of yesterday tied up defending myself against and answering false charges rather than explaining my policies and platform. I guess that means Moller and Suckling have something in common with Richard Nixon. Certainly those that they work for appear to understand well the tactics of Watergate.

In the last Swimwatch story I told you about Selwyn Pohio, one of the superstars of Hawke’s Bay swimming. In response to the story I got an email from another titan of that era, Quentin Tod. This is what his email said.

“Hi David: This is that Tod (with one D) bugger who apparently kicked you in the face in Lake Taupo. Sorry about that! I was through Taupo a few years back and found I still held the record at that point — one hour four minutes. That was some 40 years after I clocked that time.”

I must tell you, Quentin Tod is certainly worth a mention in Swimwatch. So is Greg Meade actually. But he will need to wait for another occasion.

Like Selwyn Pohio, Quentin Tod came from the select rural Hawke’s Bay village of Havelock North. Better than that, his home was well up the fashionable slopes of Te Mata Peak. Status and your Te Mata Peak elevation were pretty closely linked in those days. Quentin was different from most swimmers; slightly more serious, more reserved perhaps, certainly better mannered, even at that young age, almost distinguished. During one Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay Championship I stayed at his home. I remember it as a comfortable bungalow; a bit like an old jersey, warm, relaxing and secure.

In those days the Sunday of the Championship weekend was set aside for the open water race around Napier Harbour. Quentin was a long distance expert. I think he won a New Zealand Open Water championship and also placed first in the prestigious Wanganui Bridge to Bridge swim. In the late 1960s and early 1970s long distance races in Hawke’s Bay were a battle between Quentin Tod and another New Zealand open water champion, Alan Christie. Hawke’s Bay’s finest ruled the New Zealand open water swimming world.

Anyway back to my weekend at the Tod home. The family had devised a plan for the Sunday of the Championship weekend. Quentin would swim in the hugely popular cross Lake Taupo event in the morning, and take on Alan Christie in the Napier Port Championship swim in the afternoon. I thought they were quite mad. I did however accept their invitation to go to Taupo to watch Quentin swim across the lake. But, part way to Taupo, I began to put together a plan of my own. What say I entered the Taupo event and swam across right up close behind Quentin; using his slipstream to aid my progress. Surely I could sprint past him in the final few meters? Perhaps I could win the race.

And almost – that’s what happened. I carefully positioned myself behind the speeding Quentin Tod. In no time at all we were well ahead of the pack and, as planned, I was cruising along comfortably in Quentin’s wake. The whole thing was no effort at all; a breeze. This was going to be easy. Best of all the hard working Quentin was blissfully unaware of the free ride he was providing. And then the mistake; the fatal error. I got too close and touched Quentin’s foot.

Showing all his open water skills Quentin paused and then kicked as hard as he could. I was aware of his heel sinking into my nose. I felt the blood begin to flow. I saw the water turn red. I knew Quentin was sprinting and I was losing contact. Fifteen minutes later I came ashore in second place to be welcomed by a concerned Quentin Tod. “I’m really sorry” he said, “If I’d known it was you I’d have never kicked as hard”.

Of course I didn’t believe him. Perhaps I knew for certain that if some bugger had been trying to steal a free ride from me across Lake Taupo, the least he could expect was a kick in the nose. But, if Quentin happens to be reading this story, I’m still positive I would have out-sprinted the New Zealand Open Water Champion, if only I hadn’t touched his foot. And then I could have bored the national and Florida State champion’s I’ve coached, Toni Jeffs, Jane Copland, Nichola Chellingworth, Rhi Jeffrey, Jessica Marsden, Andrew Meeder and Joe Skuba  with the story of how I beat Quentin Tod across Lake Taupo. But I guess second will have to do. “If onlys” don’t seem to count.

Anyway we drove back to Hawke’s Bay the proud owners of the first and second place medals. At the time our prizes were most generous. I think Quentin got a TV set and a gold towel with “Champion” printed on one side. I also got something electrical and a red towel with “Second Place” printed on mine.  But Quentin’s day was far from done. In the early afternoon he lined up at the start of the Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay Open Water Championship; his second five kilometre race in a day. In Taupo he only had me to contend with, but now Alan Christie was in the field. This challenge was made of sterner stuff. But Quentin was prepared. An hour or so later he climbed out of Napier’s harbour in first place; clearly very tired by also well pleased with a good days work. I was hugely impressed. I’m not surprised that his one hour and four minute record swim across the lake stood as the record for the event for forty years. Quentin Tod was a class act – and I’m certain still is.

I met Selwyn Pohio at the West Wave pool in Auckland this morning. I am certain most readers will be aware of the name. However, there may be some who are new to the sport and have not caught up with the significant events that forged this nation’s proud swimming history. For those unfortunates let me tell you about Selwyn Pohio.

Through the late 1960s and 1970s Selwyn and I competed together in Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay swimming. He came from the flash and pretty exclusive village of Havelock North in Hawke’s Bay. He was coached by John Beaumont and swam for the Trojan’s Swim Team. I came from Gisborne and swam for the Comet Swimming Club. I was coached by the most dominant personality and hardest worker I have met in swimming, Beth Meade. Her son Greg swam at the same time and is coach of the Comet Club today.

Actually, I lived just outside of Wairoa. Each Friday, after school, I travelled 100 kilometres by train to, what for me was the huge city of Gisborne. They were great days. Greg would meet me at the train. He was a good Catholic boy and was under orders to eat only fish on a Friday so, on the way to the pool, we called in at Gisborne’s fish and chips shop to collect our standing order of two pieces of fish and a scoop of chips. Then on to the Comet club night and Beth’s standing order of eight handicap races. The cold nights were made bearable by blankets shared with Rosemary Hewitt, Wendy Fitzgerald and Caroline Adie.

I don’t want you to think the warm blankets were any excuse to misbehave. Our evenings were closely monitored by “old-man Shaw”. He punished any miscreant with half an hour spent sitting in the unheated learner’s pool. Unfortunately, I need to confess to several cold half hour sessions in the McCrae bath’s learner’s pool. Once, I even managed two periods of confinement on the same night. Greg, of course, was far worse than me. He just didn’t get caught as often; bloody cunning bugger that Greg.

After club night, I spent the weekend at Beth’s place, training on Saturday and catching the train back to Wairoa on Sunday afternoon. Two hundred kilometres a week to get to club night, that must be some sort of record. Training during the week in Wairoa was also a bit difficult. There was no pool in those days so I training in the tranquil Hangaroa River. I’m actually quite pleased to have won provincial championships and swum in the national championships with no coach and just a river for company.

Anyway, enough of all that. The purpose of this story was to tell you about Selwyn Pohio. As I said he came from the high-brow community of Havelock North. Us, Poverty Bay sorts thought that was very posh. I guess it’s a bit like the relationship between WAQ westies and North Shore today. Looks like I’m destined to always swim on the wrong side of the tracks. I’m not saying Selwyn had it easy. The Havelock North pool, in those days, wasn’t heated. Selwyn tells me the pool opened for the summer at the end of October. One opening day there was still snow on TeMata peak behind the pool. Coach Beaumont urged his two best swimmers, including Selwyn, into action. Selwyn managed one length before retreating to the warmth of his parent’s car.

Selwyn Pohio, though, was a bloody good swimmer. I’m not sure whether he ever won an Age Group or Open Nationals. I do know he got medals in those competitions. In Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay he was a super star. The Championship, I remember most, was held in Gisborne. Selwyn was in his first year as a senior swimmer. Greg and I lay in wait, determined to teach this brash city kid a swimming lesson. The pain of the lesson he taught us, stays with me still. Selwyn Pohio went back to Havelock North with five championship gold medals. The city kid had come, had seen and had conquered.

However, as is the way with sport, the race I remember most from that year, is one that Greg won; the 440 yards individual medley. My backstroke was too bad for me to ever feature in a race between the Meade and Pohio giants. I spent most of the race swimming along with my head up watching the battle unfold; Greg ahead in the butterfly, but caught and passed in the backstroke and Greg drawing level in the breaststroke, before holding on by inches in the freestyle to win the title. I swam into the finish in third place just in time to watch Greg throw up his fish and chip dinner in the lane beside me. I was hugely impressed. They had to stop the Championship for half an hour to clean up the evidence of Greg’s effort.

Pohio and Meade were the titans of that Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay era. And here, today Selwyn Pohio wandered into the West Wave pool for a swim. He even asked if he could use one of the West Auckland Aquatic lanes. Could Selwyn Pohio swim in one of our lanes? You’d better believe it. And while he cruised up and down, as relaxed and smooth as ever, I explained to WAQ’s swimmers they were sharing their lane with swimming royalty. Maybe a few kilograms heavier than forty years ago; maybe not quite as fast, but Selwyn Pohio was right at home and most welcome.

After his swim Selwyn and I sat and reminisced. Did he, did I, remember Quinton Todd, Alan Cristie, Sandra Whitleston, Johnny Palmer and a dozen others. Perhaps it’s true. The older you get the better you were. I don’t know. Certainly the more fun, the better the times were. In fact, on the strength of Selwyn’s visit, I think I’ll pop out and pick up a meal of two fish and a scoop of chips. Thank you Greg Meade. Thank you Selwyn Pohio.

I see the protest about the depth of the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre pool has made the Sunday newspapers in New Zealand. The manner in which Swimming New Zealand’s Jury of Appeal rejected the protest demonstrated contempt for a serious safety issue. The least they could have done was hear our point of view – justice alone required that consideration. But, no, we were not even invited to the hearing.

I was pleased to read that the world governing body of swimming, FINA, treated the issues raised in by the protest seriously. FINA executive Cornel Marculescu is reported in the Sunday Star Times as saying, “If FINA is aware of a situation which is not in compliance with the rules, the times achieved in this competition may not be taken into consideration.”

Cornel Marculescu’s show of respect for the rules contrasts starkly with the contempt displayed by Swimming New Zealand President, Ross Butler and his boss Peter Miskimmin, the CEO of Sport New Zealand. This is what the Sunday Star Times has to say about their reaction.

“Swimming NZ president Ross Butler described the protest as “just a beat-up”, rejected safety and compliance issues and cited another FINA rule that events “should” rather than “must” comply with minimum standards. Butler and Miskimmin both said they felt the venue was appropriate for Olympic athletes to train in. Butler noted swimmers competed last week regardless of Wright’s protest.”

Both Butler and Miskimmin have forfeited any right to remain in their current positions. Those responsible for their employment have a duty to get rid of them both. Any official who treats a serious safety concern about the depth of a swimming pool, felt by many at the Wellington meet, or by coaches with far more experienced in matters swimming than either of them, or by the President of the world governing body as “just a beat-up” has clearly lost touch with reality; is demonstrating behaviour usually associated with tin-pot dictators and has no place in the positions they currently occupy.

How dare Butler say the matters raised in this protest were “just a beat-up”. How dare he treat the safety of swimmers taking part in swimming as “just a beat-up”. I imagine the raft of Swimming New Zealand safety errors made in respect of the Taupo swim were “just a beat-up” to Butler and Miskimmin as well. In that case a swimmer died and that’s not a beat-up. Matters of swimmer safety are never a beat-up. This protest was never a beat-up. And because Butler and Miskimmin don’t understand that, they should be told to leave town.

I bet Water Safety New Zealand doesn’t consider the depth of a swimming pool to be just another beat-up. I hope any money given to Swimming New Zealand for water safety is withdrawn immediately and is not restored until the organization is led by individuals who understand that the depth of water into which athletes are asked to dive is important to safety in a swimming pool.

Butler should not even be on the Board of Swimming New Zealand let alone be its President. His appointment was hugely unconstitutional. The Constitution of Swimming New Zealand only allows independent directors to serve on the Board for four years. That’s not a problem for Butler. He just stays. He’s been there for six years and when the constitutional members of the Board tried to get rid of him recently and apply the rules of the organization, Miskimmin’s hired guns at the meeting, Cull and McDonald, threatened financial ruin if Butler’s illegal appointment was not confirmed. Butler is in the position of President of Swimming New Zealand because Miskimmin put him there. Put him there, even though the Constitution of the organisation said it was illegal.

My guess is they probably think the current Constitution is “just a beat-up” as well. Their attitude to any rule that doesn’t suit their personal agenda is the same. The same contempt for the rule of law that Butler and Miskimmiun demonstrated in their handling of my Wellington protest is the same contempt they display in many of their other corporate dealings.

The Coalition of Regions originally asked for the Board of Swimming New Zealand to resign. Here at Swimwatch we agreed with that. We still do. However Miskimmin talked the Coalition out of that action in favour of the current “Vanguard by another name, whitewash” Review. Miskimmin then had his hired guns secure Butler’s appointment to the Board and to the position of President. Butler is only on the Board of Swimming New Zealand because Miskimmin put him there. Miskimmin made that choice because Miskimmin knows a “yes man, whatever you say man” when he sees one. Everything that Butler does, he does in the name of Peter Miskimmin – including labelling child safety issues as “just a beat-up”. That’s the Miskimmin choice of President for you; another fine example of good sport’s management.

You know, it’s not a coincidence that many of New Zealand’s best Olympic sport athletes choose to live elsewhere. Our swimmers would too, if Jan Cameron, Butler and Miskimmin had not made staying in New Zealand and swimming for their club a condition of receiving financial support. Cameron, Butler and Miskimmin have to buy loyalty because they are incapable of getting it any other way. Valerie Adams, Nick Willis and Kim Smith though have chosen to depart the toxic environment created by administrators like Miskimmin and Butler and train elsewhere. I guess the fact that Adam’s has just won the World Indoor Shot Put Championship shows that her decision was a good one.

The decision to file a protest was not a beat-up. It was based on a serious concern for swimmer safety and a belief that the rule of law is important. I have known for some time that Butler and Miskimmin had little concern for the rule of law. Until this morning I was not aware that they put child safety into the same category – just another beat-up. Well this Swimwatch article is certainly another beat-up. It’s a beat-up about two administrators who, last week, forfeited the right to rule.

Well, I paid the $50.00 fee and filed the protest. And I lost – that’s the fee and the protest. Swimming New Zealand decided that because FINA’s rules say that all pools should comply with their minimum standards there was no need for them to provide a pool meeting the 1.35 meter FINA minimum depth requirement. “Should,” they said does not mean “must”. Of course I took their decision to the Jury of Appeal. I lost there as well.

And so Swimming New Zealand happily ordered 650 young New Zealanders to dive into a swimming pool that the world governing body of swimming says is unsafe; says is dangerous. The minimum depth standard is there for a reason. Sure, there is an element of performance, but primarily the standard is to there to protect the safety of participants in the sport. Swimming New Zealand knows this full well, and still they are happy to put verbal semantics ahead of the safety of their members.

A day seldom goes by that I do not encourage my swimmers to dive deep in order to use and improve the underwater portion of their start. The start used by top swimmers today is unimaginably different from the start used ten years ago. Swimmers dive deeper and stay under the water longer than they ever did when FINA’s depth rule was written. If 1.25 meters was dangerous then, today it is an accident waiting to happen.

The title of this story is “When ‘Should’ Becomes ‘Must.’” Well, the cavalier attitude of Swimming New Zealand toward swimmer safety pretty well ensures that when some swimmer dives into their 1.25 meter deep pool and in that instant is transformed from star athlete to tetraplegic – that’s when “should” will finally mean “must”. And every administrator who had anything to do with the decision to overturn my protest will be directly responsible for the maimed life of that child. I do hope they sleep badly tonight.

There has already been one death at a Swimming New Zealand event this year. The disregard of Swimming New Zealand administrators for the safety and care of their members means that unfortunate tragedy is unlikely to be the last.

For their information, this is what will happen when a Swimming New Zealand athlete hits their head on the bottom of the 1.25 meter deep Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre pool. “The injury which is known as a lesion, causes victims to lose total function of all four limbs. Functioning is also impaired in the torso, meaning lost control of the bowel, bladder, sexual function, digestion, breathing and other automatic functions. Secondarily, quadripegics are often more vulnerable to pressure sores, osteoporosis, fractures, respiratory complications and cardiovascular disease. If the injury is high enough the swimmer will probably lose all function from the neck down meaning they will be ventilator-dependent for life. Certainly the swimmer will need constant care and assistance in the activities of daily living such as getting dressed and bowel and bladder care.”

And just to avoid making a safety announcement prior to each session and moving the 2012 winter short course championships to Auckland, the Swimming New Zealand officials at this meet and Mike Byrne and the Board of Swimming New Zealand and Peter Miskimmin from SPARC were prepared to play Russian roulette with the lives of 650 of their members. These administrators have much to answer for in the way this sport is managed. They have lied, hidden information from their members and promoted personal ambition ahead of the interests of the sport. No neglect or deception however compares with this most recent treachery. I seldom resort to asking for divine intervention. On this occasion some celestial assistance may be needed. The actions of those responsible for the sport here on earth guarantee that the physical trauma we sought to avoid is now just a matter of time.

There is one more possible action. Perhaps I can take this case to the Sport’s Tribunal. Certainly, a positive outcome would be worth the effort. During the next two weeks I will investigate what is involved and let you know whether a Tribunal action is possible. If Swimming New Zealand and SPARC have no interest in protecting the safety of their members then we should do it for them.

Strangely the action of the Age Group Championship administrators in the case of the pool depth contrasted starkly with their decisions regarding an Auckland swimmer’s broken toe. I must preface this story by saying it was told to me second and third hand. If I have made a mistake in any of the detail please forgive me. But as I understand it here is what happened.

The Auckland swimmer broke her big toe a week ago but was cleared by her doctor to swim in the Championships on the condition she strap her big toe to the next toe. She swam her first event well and qualified for the final. An official, called Jo Davidson, who has given me dishonesty problems before, summoned the swimmer and disqualified her for illegal strapping. The swimmer would only be allowed to swim the final if, in the three hours between the heats and the finals, she obtained the approval of the FINA Medical Committee in Switzerland. And so we had the spectacle of officials who were prepared to allow swimmers to dive into illegal shallow water but were also happily banishing, on the grounds of personal safety, a swimmer who had two toes taped together. You are right, of course – Monty Python could not write this stuff.

I am delighted to report that sanity prevailed. A New Zealand doctor, who knows more than most about swimming and is also on the FINA Medical Tribunal, was contacted by administrators from the Auckland Centre. The doctor wrote to the Meet Officials and confirmed he saw no problem with the swimmer taking part in the backstroke final. I’m not sure whether that’s what happened. I certainly hope so. Either way though – it’s hard to escape the feeling that a C1 spinal fracture is less important to Swimming New Zealand than a strapped big toe.

About two years ago I was coaching in the United States. We held four or five swim meets each year in our team’s 50 meter pool. You are probably aware of the huge importance of liability insurance in the United States. Any accident can be reason enough for a suit worth many millions. The significance of insurance was highlighted by the decision of USA Swimming to provide cover for all swimmers, coaches and clubs in the country. Maintaining our club’s insurance cover was critical. Whenever we held a swim meet it was essential that our facilities and operation complied with all FINA and USA Swimming standards. Any failure would result in the immediate suspension of our insurance and the suspension of the Club.

About six months ago Swimming New Zealand introduced “David’s Rule”. This rule says that only coaches who are members of Swimming New Zealand can be on the pool deck at Swimming New Zealand meets. They said the rule was necessary to protect swimmers; to ensure their safety. I actually agree with that view. The problem is that the new rule, read in association with Swimming New Zealand’s Code of Conduct, prevents me coaching West Auckland Aquatic swimmers at national meets. The Code of Conduct says no one who publically criticizes Swimming New Zealand can be a member. With the best will in the world it would be difficult to deny that I criticize the organization. This article alone would be enough to have me condemned to a public trial and summary deportation. You see the problem? I can’t continue to write for Swimwatch and be a member of Swimming New Zealand. Without being a member of Swimming New Zealand I’m not a safe person to attend their swim meets.

About a month ago Swimming New Zealand distributed a proposed change to their rules. If the change is approved every swim meet in New Zealand will require Swimming New Zealand’s authorization. A meet that does not receive Pelorus House approval will not have its results validated. Swimming New Zealand said the reason for the change was to ensure all swim meets were run in accordance with acceptable standards. Swimmer safety would improve, they said, when all meets received the Swimming New Zealand stamp of approval. I thought the proposal was simply a ploy to strip more cash out of the regions. Very soon there will be a charge on all regions wanting their meets approved by the Wellington office. Swimming New Zealand denied that accusation, of course. Their concern, they said, was always the safety of New Zealand’s swimmers.

About a week ago Swimming Auckland took delivery of eight “state of art” starting blocks. Their most obvious feature is a raised vertical back-plate foot rest that provides swimmers with additional traction. They say the new blocks can improve a swimmers start by as much as 0.3 of a second. The improvement however comes at a pretty hefty price. I’m not sure of how much the all up cost to Auckland will be, but I’m guessing there will very little change out of $80,000. Fortunately we have administrators in Auckland who believe it is their responsibility and duty to provide swimmers with the best facilities possible – irrespective of the cost.

And so we have a series of facts. Proper facilities and operational procedures are critical in the United States to maintaining insurance cover and avoiding suspension. Swimming New Zealand is so concerned about the safety of New Zealand’s swimmers that they won’t let me coach my West Auckland Aquatic Team at their swim meets. Swimming New Zealand is so concerned about safety that they are demanding all meets in New Zealand are pre-licensed by the national body. And Auckland Region has just spent a huge sum on giving swimmers the best possible chance to perform well in the West Wave competition pool.

Do these four facts have anything in common? Well, the answer is a surprising, yes. And on Monday this coming week I will be highlighting the connection by asking the Manager of the Auckland Team to file a protest on my behalf contesting Swimming New Zealand’s right to hold the Age Group Championships in the Kilbirnie Pool. Actually I don’t care that the Age Group Championships are being held in Kilbirnie. The meet could be held in a muddy pool just outside of Te Puke and it wouldn’t worry me. The reason for my protest is to prevent the World Championship Trials scheduled for later in the year being held in the Wellington Pool.

You see the problem is, the Kilbirnie Pool does not comply with FINA facility rules. FINA requires pools to be 1.35 meters deep from the wall where starting blocks are being used. Kilbirnie is only 1.25 meters deep at this point. The pool is too shallow. Asking the nation’s best swimmers to start in a shallow pool is dangerous and grossly unfair. Some of these guys are over two meters tall. Asking them to dive into a shallow pool is impossibly irresponsible. Every swimmer I have coached has a tale to tell about scraping backs, knees or feet on the bottom of the Kilbirnie Pool. Good swimmers have a “normal” dive and another one they use in the Wellington Pool.

And so we have an organization called Swimming New Zealand who won’t let me onto the pool deck to coach my swimmers because of the danger I represent to all the nation’s swimmers but are intent on holding the Age Group Nationals and World Championship Trials in a facility that fails to comply with the sport’s minimum standards and poses a real risk of serious injury.  We have an organization called Swimming New Zealand who is currently claiming to be the sole arbiters of what constitutes a safe swim meet but are intent on holding the Age Group Nationals and World Championship Trials in a facility that fails to comply with the sport’s minimum standards and poses a real risk of serious injury. In the United States, Swimming New Zealand would lose its insurance cover and would be suspended instantly for holding the swim meet planned for next week in Wellington. While the Auckland Region has spend $80,000 giving New Zealand’s swimmers the best possible chance of success, Swimming New Zealand is intent on holding the Age Group Nationals and World Championship Trials in a facility that fails to comply with the sport’s minimum standards and poses a real risk of serious injury. That is the common link between these four factors. The real danger here is not me or the New Zealand swimming Regions. The real danger is Swimming New Zealand. And on Monday we will protest their irresponsibility to ensure that a real safety issue is properly resolved.

The Auckland Open Championships were held this weekend. For our West Auckland Aquatics team it was our third meet this season and therefore was most certainly still in the category of training for more important things to come. Desperately interesting as it might be to me, I am sure you would find a blow by blow account of how our swimmers performed pretty dull fare. And so instead I will recount some of the events that pleased or surprised.

First and most important – I met Melissa Ingram for the first time. The CEO of Auckland Swimming, Brian Palmer, does something no other swimming official in the world has dared. He invites me to present medals at his championships. On this occasion the events he chose for me were the men’s and women’s 200 backstroke. Winner of the women’s event was Melissa Ingram. Regular readers of Swimwatch will know that I am a paid up member of the Melissa Gee Whiz Club. I saw her swim first at the World Cups in Moscow, Stockholm and Berlin. I even had a drink in a bar with her in Berlin but we have never spoken. But this weekend all that changed and I am delighted.

Second Rhi took another step on her personal swimming journey. I’m prepared to bet any money you like that twelve months ago most swimming observers looked at a 115 kilogram Rhi Jeffrey and said she would never swim well again. At the New South Wales Championships a year ago she tried to swim; couldn’t break 30 seconds for 50 meters freestyle, and after the race was accosted by an Australian official concerned about her health. Well twelve months later, this weekend, an 89 kilogram Rhi Jeffrey swam 55.76 for 100 meters freestyle and silenced those critics. The time ranks her 32 in the world this year – not a fake 32 based on two per country as practised by Swimming New Zealand but a real world ranking. Sure she has a long way to go. But very few could have achieved what she has done already. Even fewer will achieve what she will do in the next six months. It will be fun to watch.

Third Lauren Boyle got disqualified for a false start in the 400 freestyle. This was not news because of the false start. That sort of thing happens all the time. I actually think swimming officials need to distinguish between some movement on the blocks, which as I understand the rules is legal, and false starting, which is not allowed. Anyway, whatever happened in Lauren’s case, she was dismissed from the class. But that was not the news. The subsequent behaviour of her coach, Mark Regan, was what made the headlines. I happened to be at the control room when he angrily refused to sign the disqualification slip and demanded Lauren’s reinstatement. Two things about his performance caused me concern. First there is never any need to include a string of Australian profanities in a debate over the merits of a disqualification. That is just bad manners. If Regan is going to represent this country then he had better clean up his verbal act. Second I heard him use the expression that the Auckland officials “could not disqualify New Zealand’s best swimmer.” Isn’t that just typical of the arrogance that infects the Millennium swimming program? The laws of the sport do not apply to them. Well no one is above the rule of law. Hopefully the unfortunate disqualification of Lauren Boyle will have taught her coach that lesson. Hopefully it will have given Mark Regan and his Millennium program some much needed humility. Hopefully – but I do not think so.

Fourth, private enterprise is taking over. I was pleased Rhi convincingly won the 100 meters freestyle. For years I have argued, in Swimwatch, that a private enterprise, capitalist system of elite sport produces better swimmers than Jan Cameron’s state run dictatorship. Rhi took on the state’s best swimmers this weekend and won. That lesson is good for every swimmer in the country. They can stay in their home programs. They can swim in their local pools. To be a champion they do not need to pack their bags and shift to Auckland. Jan Cameron was wrong. The error of the past ten years was cruelly exposed by a talented American. Those administrators charged with reforming Swimming New Zealand would do well to look at the result of this weekend’s women’s 100 meters freestyle and ask why did their state run program loose again?

Fifth – the saga of Rhi’s goofy cap. Rhi is her own woman. That is one of her cardinal strengths. One of the things she enjoys just now is wearing a goofy swim cap. Her current favourite is pictured below. She swam all her races this weekend wearing the interesting pink number. Auckland’s technical officials were concerned. Did the cap’s two small fins violate the FINA rule that prohibits any appendage that provides additional endurance, speed or buoyancy? Meetings were held long into the night. I was told the Secretary General of world swimming was woken at two in the morning. (That’s a joke, by the way.) Were pink, shark caps included on the FINA list of approved swimwear? By day four of the meet a decision had been reached. Rhi’s cap could stay. New Zealand’s leading technical officials had examined the rules; had studied the photographic evidence and had gathered in force to watch Rhi perform and the Zogg cap was approved. The swimming world sighed in collective relief. You may think I am joking. But no, this actually happened. I was there.

Sixth – Lara is on her way to the New Zealand Olympic Trials. You may remember the story of Lara. She’s the swimmer who was kicked out of her Central Hawkes Bay club’s training program because she was too slow. Aiden, the Waipukarau coach, said she would have to swim in the “oldies” aquafit lane. The competition training lanes, he said, were not for the likes of Lara. Well all that was four months ago. Since then Lara has shifted to Auckland and has joined West Auckland Aquatics. Some Central Hawkes Bay Club parent, called Mrs. Reidy, warned her of the perils of that decision. This weekend Lara swam the 50 meters freestyle, first swimming 28.71 and then lowering her time once more to 28.65 and qualifying for the New Zealand Olympic Trials. I am delighted. I just love those stories where someone is written off by those who know nothing and with determination, talent and shear bloody minded hard work proves their critics wrong. The title of this story is dedicated to Lara’s journey. As Mohammed Ali once said, Lara, “You done splendid.”

I could well have made a mistake. Since the Coalition of Regions decided to negotiate with SPARC and the current Board of Swimming New Zealand I have questioned the Coalition’s sanity. Didn’t they realize? This Review was an expensive white wash; just another devious way of achieving Project Vanguard ambitions.

Of course that view may still prove to be correct. I am pretty sure SPARC have a master plan that involves the socialist delivery of all sport. Their building is full of government bureaucrats, what else could they possibly want? But for now, having met the leader of the review, I’m prepared to give the process a chance. I’m a supporter. I do hope that trust is not misplaced.

The invitation to meet with the Review leaders, Chis Moller and Sue Suckling, was a surprise. The normal behaviour of Swimming New Zealand leaders is to ignore people like me; to brand us as trouble makers, disloyal to the sport and to proceed as though we didn’t exist. The invitation to hear the views of one of the organization’s most vocal critics deserves recognition. They may dismiss those views as an expression of the lunatic fringe but at least they were prepared to make forty five minutes available to hear what this radical had to say. For that I am grateful.

The meeting was held in the Head Office of SPARC. The organization lives in a lovely old building on Customhouse Quay. In years gone by, I have visited an insurance company, a government department and a sports management company at the same location. Obviously I was a bit nervous going into SPARC’s lair. The receptionist helped. She asked if I wanted coffee, I declined, if she could look after my suitcase, I accepted, and agreed to recharge my failing cell phone. The workers, at least, were friendly.

The meeting with Moller and Suckling was held in a room up some very steep and quite long stairs. According to Moller, the process of meeting his guests was at least making him fit. My one trip certainly confirmed that view. Our meeting began with Moller introducing Sue Suckling and himself. I was impressed. They both have Resumes that include a long string of corporate directorships and sporting appointments. Moller has served in senior positions in both New Zealand rugby and cricket. No one could question their qualifications for this task.

Moller then asked for a brief description of my background. I explained that I once had a normal commercial career and for several years had been Managing Director of a company called Colyer Watson. Here again Moller surprised. “Is that,” he asked, “the large animal by-products exporting company?” “Yes it is.” I replied.

I may have misunderstood the moment but I thought I felt the mood change. Moller clearly knew that Colyers was New Zealand’s largest exporter of animal by-products and was now going to give me time to put my case. The remainder of the forty minutes was an excellent exchange of ideas on the role of a national sporting organization.

As you would expect I argued that the role of Swimming New Zealand is to provide a fertile environment for people like me to do our job. Swimming New Zealand has no expertise in producing champion swimmers. Good God, they’ve been at it for ten years; they’ve spent sixteen million dollars and still can’t win an Olympic swimming race. Swimming New Zealand and SPARC need to understand that it is not the function of the “state” to produce Olympic Champions. That’s our job. That’s the role of professional coaches like Kent, Winter, Duncan, Hurring, me and twenty or thirty others. In an individual sport like swimming I support a capitalist form of governance. New Zealand swimming has tried Jan Cameron’s state socialism. It has failed. It is time to move on. It is time to try something different and better.

I thought Moller and Suckling understood the point; maybe even had sympathy with the capitalist philosophy. Their corporate upbringing might be cause for optimism. Perhaps these people were not just hired SPARC sycophants, employed to listen, charm and then impose on swimming the party line of centralized delivery. Perhaps there was hope. Time will tell whether the hope that came out of the meeting has substance. Will Moller and Suckling produce a report that proposes the capitalist philosophy they appeared to find appealing in our discussion or will they comply with their paymaster’s orders and hand in another Project Vanguard look alike?

That was the heart and soul of our discussion. We did however cover one or two minor points. Moller seemed concerned that I was being denied entry to the New Zealand Olympic Swimming Trials. Clearly he did not think that the fact I wrote articles critical of Swimming New Zealand was sufficient reason for my swimmers to be denied access to their coach. He asked to see the ridiculous Swimming New Zealand’s rule that brought this into effect. Again there is hope. Will I be allowed to coach my swimmers at the Trials after all?

We discussed one view of the history of Swimming New Zealand. Perhaps there was merit in the view that the organization had once done very little for anyone. In that period strong coaches such as Lincoln Hurring, Hilton Brown, Duncan Lang, Burt Cotterill, Ross Anderson and Bret Naylor had coached Olympic medallists, world record holders and World Champions. They asked for nothing from Swimming New Zealand and that’s what they got. Then swimming fell under the Cameron spell. The organization changed quickly from doing nothing to doing everything. In just a couple of years swimming moved from lassie-faire neglect to iron fisted control. Any athlete wanting to represent New Zealand had little option but to walk the Cameron pathway. And it led nowhere. They won nothing. Worse than that, the standard of coaching in the provinces declined as Swimming New Zealand imposed its will on us all. Any coach who stood up to the monolith or who wrote for Swimwatch was mistreated and marginalized. The “state” knew best and we had all better tow the party line.

There is however another way. There is a way where the “state” observes properly defined limits and creates an environment where we all can do our jobs; where the “state” avoids the neglect and the dictatorial control that have characterised its performance in the past. I can only hope Moller and Suckling’s report reflects that middle ground. After Wellington, here at Swimwatch, we do have hope.

I have been asked to prepare a submission and attend a meeting of the Swimming New Zealand Review Committee. Set out below is a copy of the document I propose to submit to the representatives of the Committee. Your comments and suggestions would be most welcome.

INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF SWIMMING NEW ZEALAND

ONE ON ONE SUBMISSION

Philosophical Background

It is instructive to look at some aspects of the political philosophy surrounding the administration of sports, both to understand why individual sports are different from team sports and why the management of sport is different from the management style relevant in other major sectors of society.

In a compassionate society there are very good reasons for the state to care for its weaker members – its young, to provide them with an education – its sick, to provide them with medical attention – its elderly to provide them with care. A socialist approach in these areas is appropriate and proper.

However international individual sport does not involve the care of society’s weakest members. In this area we need a method of management and control that is best at nurturing the sporting world’s strongest and most able. Historical evidence and current empirical examples unanimously support the view that the philosophy known as “libertarianism” produces the best results. In particular the version of libertarianism called “consequential libertarianism” employed to govern swimming in the United States works best. The United States has won 214 (44%) of the 489 gold medals awarded for all the Olympic Games swimming events. In swimming, at least, private enterprise competition has consistently outperformed centrally managed socialist programs.

Libertarianism includes diverse beliefs, all advocating strict limits to government activity and sharing the goal of maximizing individual liberty and political freedom. Consequential libertarianism refers to the view that liberty leads to favorable consequences such as prosperity, efficiency, or superior performance and for those reasons should be supported, advocated, and maximized.

The Last Decade in Swimming New Zealand

In spite of having an clearly identifiable federal constitution the past decade in Swimming New Zealand has been characterized by a high degree of central control – especially in the management of international competitive swimming. All the financial resources made available by the state have been spent in one program, at one pool, by one Head Coach, Jan Cameron. This sector of the sport has been run lock, stock and barrel by Swimming New Zealand. Socialism; the method of management best suited to caring for the needs of the nation’s weakest members, has been applied to providing for it’s strongest.

• For ten years SNZ has actively poached swimmers from regional clubs using the lure of access to state funds. Currently the Swimming New Zealand website asks swimmers based in New Zealand regions to apply for membership of the Millennium Institute and leave their home club and coach. Swimming New Zealand happily indulges in a practice that would bring severe censure to any other club.
• Only swimmers at the state funded Millennium Institute can receive individual financial assistance.
• Last month Swimming New Zealand extended its control of international swimming by establishing a Wellington elite training facility. Given the current Review of Swimming this was a disgraceful piece of political deception. It is a clear attempt by Swimming New Zealand to control and influence the outcome of the Review process.
• New Zealand’s regional coaches have abdicated responsibility for producing champion swimmers. Coaching international swimmers is something New Zealand does up at the Millennium Institute. As a result the standard of coaching in New Zealand has seriously declined.  Fine domestic coaches like Lincoln Hurring, Ross Anderson, Duncan Laing, Hilton Brown and Brett Naylor have gone and they have not been replaced.
• Swimmers attending the Millennium Institute have been treated with privilege and license not enjoyed by their club counterparts; special silver fern uniforms, exclusive seating at national championships, select meet entry procedures – and none of it earned.
• Elite swimmers refusing to attend the Millennium Institute have been excluded from New Zealand team meetings and generally treated as inferior to their Millennium based colleagues.
• Competition; the life blood of international success in an individual sport, has been sucked out of swimming in New Zealand.
• With the exception of Alison Fitch, who has considerable management shortcomings, no one on the Board of Swimming New Zealand has any significant product knowledge. Many of the organization’s bad decisions reflect poor swimming input.
• The current method of preparing elite swimmers produces a very real them and us environment; the haves and the have not’s, the privileged and the poor, Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham. “One team” will never exist in that unfair environment. We, the grass roots of swimming, will make sure of that.

AND IT HASN’T WORKED. AT EVERY OLYMPIC GAMES SINCE 1996, FOR SIXTEEN YEARS, WE HAVE ATTENDED AND HAVE WON NOTHING. NOT A MEDAL OF ANY DESCRIPTION.

For the money applied (maybe as high as $16million) that is simply not good enough. Centralism and socialism have had their day. It hasn’t worked. More of the same is simply not an option. So what should happen?

The Next Decade in Swimming New Zealand          

Socialism in the management of elite swimming needs to be replaced by consequential libertarianism. New Zealand needs to get the state (Swimming New Zealand) out of the management and coaching of elite swimming. Competition needs to be restored as the driving force behind the preparation of elite swimmers. A private enterprise club based structure needs to be encouraged. Constitutional federalism needs to be strengthened; not abandoned.

How should this be done?

Fortunately we have examples to copy; the management of elite swimming in the United States and the program Arthur Lydiard used so successfully to put Finnish middle distance running back on top of the world.

The United States National Team is coached by approximately thirty different club or university based coaches who are employed by teams scattered all over the United States. Salo coaches a sprint based program in Los Angeles for the University of Southern California. Bowman coaches a distance based program for the North Baltimore Swim Team. Ryan Lochte is coached at a university in Florida. Amanda Weir trains with a club team in Atlanta, Georgia. The United States cultivates excellence wherever it is found. They have long recognized that a winning relationship like the one that existed between Loader and Laing is special and important. Unlike New Zealand where a decade of effort has gone into destroying those relationships (for example, Hind from Wellington, Quilter and Thomas from Hawkes Bay) and moving our best swimmers to Auckland, the United States does all it can to provide an environment for elite relationships, formed in private clubs, to prosper.

Lydiard did the same thing in Finland. He recognized it was impossible for him to coach several winning Olympic runners. It was more than one or two men could manage and there was not the time available. He resolved to harness the resources of all Finland’s running coaches and educate and encourage them to prepare world class runners. The result was medals in the steeplechase, the 1500, the 5000 and the 10,000 at the Munich and Montreal Olympic Games. Lydiard raised the standard of running, and especially the coaching of running, throughout Finland; not just on one track in Helsinki had he tried to do it all himself. When Lydiard said excellence on every track, he meant it. At two Olympics his coaching and club based libertarianism produced five Olympic Gold Medals and a Bronze.

There will be those who will tell you it is impossible to produce an Olympic champion out of the proverbial Eketahuna pool. Don’t you believe it. Rod Dixon won a bronze in the Munich 1500 meters living in Nelson. Loader lived and trained in Dunedin. Dave McKenzie won the Boston Marathon living and training in Greymouth. Nick Willis was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan when he won an Olympic silver medal in the 1500 meters. Valerie Adams lives in a small village in Switzerland. Excellence is not restricted to the North Shore of Auckland.

Swimming New Zealand’s role is to encourage local coaches to do their job better. Ironically Swimming New Zealand spent some effort promoting the very good slogan, “Excellence in every pool” and then proceeded to pour $16million of SPARC money into just one pool at the Millennium Institute.

The Millennium Institute program and the Wellington newcomer should be closed – that is completely closed, nothing at all left. The swimmers and coaches should be assisted to find positions in club teams.

An experienced Head Coach should be appointed to Swimming New Zealand. His brief should not involve coaching swimmers. His job should be to coach the coaches of New Zealand’s best swimmers; to assist them prepare world class swimmers capable of winning Olympic medals. The net needs to be excellent and it needs to be broad, so that world class talent can be nurtured even when it is discovered in Eketahuna.

Resources currently paid to fund the Millennium and Wellington programs should be paid directly to swimmers and their coaches irrespective of where in the world they are being prepared. Every swimmer and their coach who is say the national champion and is ranked in say the world’s top ten should receive a living wage and their coach should also be paid a similar amount. That funding is guaranteed each twelve months and is based on the results at each year’s National Summer Championships. The funding for swimmer and coach should be administered through the swimmer’s club but should all go to the swimmer and coach involved without administration deductions. Payment should be based solely on performance; not membership of an institute or geographical living location.

The National Coach’s job should be to ensure that every coach in the country is aware of their responsibility in the area of coaching world class swimmers; excellence in every pool. The National Coach should assist every coach to prepare the funded athlete’s swimming in their local program. This should include preparing annual training plans and competition and travel budgets. Done properly the country ends up with a team of maybe fifteen or so coaches working to produce an Olympic result rather than Reagan, Talbot-Cameron and Hurring as we have now – with the rest of us hell bent on proving them wrong; determined to upset and overturn an unfair and flawed elite swimming management structure.

Conclusion

When I received the invitation to meet with representatives of the Review panel, I did consider declining the opportunity. There is much evidence that representatives of SPARC and Swimming New Zealand are not conducting this Review in good faith; that the process is simply a means of imposing a predetermined organizational blueprint on the sport. Minutes of meetings have been altered, lies have been told and the will of the shareholders has been bitterly opposed. The leaders of the sport have not acted honourably. The Coalition of Regions knew that I opposed the decision to negotiate with SPARC and Swimming New Zealand. I said so often in my swimming blog.

By participating in the same charade, was I giving legitimacy to a corrupt process? The answer to that is probably yes. I should not be here. I am because of the thought that even if there is less than one percent chance that the management of elite swimming in New Zealand can be changed, I owe it to the swimmers I sit and watch swim 100 kilometres every week; to those men and women I see bleeding from harsh chlorine burns; to those athletes who lie awake at night painfully coughing through inflamed breathing passages. I owe it to them to give this opportunity a shot; no matter how slim the odds. That is why I am here. The case I have argued will produce a better, more successful outcome. It will produce Olympic medallists. It is a method of management that is in the best interests of those I serve. However, I fear “consequential libertarianism” will not see the light of day. The current centralized structure is deeply entrenched. The influence of SPARC bureaucrats is so pervasive and the mistrust of sporting liberty so engrained, my guess is that the freedoms proposed here will be seen as irresponsible. Sport’s administrators in New Zealand have tended to favour centralized power and bureaucratic process ahead of competitive results. I suspect they will do so again.