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Stevens
to announce decision on Monday, by Michael Cowley
-
22nd April 2004
(Credit:
The Age / Fairfax)
Don't expect Ian Thorpe to be standing next to Craig
Stevens when Stevens announces on Monday whether he
will swim in the 400 metres freestyle at the Athens
Olympics.
Stevens
has reportedly been paid $60,000 to appear on Channel
Seven's Today Tonight show on Monday to announce whether
he will swim or surrender his place to Thorpe, who
was disqualified after he false-started in the heats
at the selection trials last month.
It
had been suggested that because Thorpe is also contracted
to the network, both swimmers could appear. But Thorpe's
manager David Flaskas was adamant yesterday that would
not happen.
"We
don't know anything about the suggestions Ian would
appear with Craig," Flaskas said. "We certainly
haven't been approached to do so, and we would have
no intentions of doing so."
Flaskas
said that Thorpe's position on the matter of Stevens
surrendering his 400 berth had not changed. He reinforced
his swimmer's view that if Stevens did choose to give
up his spot, before he did anything he would like
to know the reasons behind the decision. Thorpe has
said that if Stevens has been pressured into withdrawing
to allow the world record-holder to swim, then Thorpe
would not accept the swim.
Regardless
of that, Stevens would not be in a position to publicly
hand over the swim to Thorpe. The process is that
Stevens must tell Australian Swimming of his intentions
to withdraw. Head coach Leigh Nugent would then decide
who should take his place, and while that would naturally
be Thorpe, the process has to be adhered to.
Nugent
would then speak to Thorpe and his coach Tracey Menzies,
and if they agree, it would then be announced Thorpe
would defend his title.
Links:
Media
websites
The
Age
f2
Today
Tonight
Websites
ATHENS
2004 Olympic Games
Ian
Thorpe's official website
Australian
Swimming official website
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