Pietermaritzburg - Swimming South Africa CEO Dave Norman denied on Monday that any disciplinary
hearing was pending for South Africa's gold medal-winning 4x100m Olympic relay swimmers.
Norman was responding to reports at the weekend that the team were being threatened by SSA with a disciplinary hearing for not wearing sponsor Speedo's swimming kit during the relay final just more than a week ago in Athens.
"No one from our office has even once said we are going to have a disciplinary hearing," said an irate Norman on Monday.
"This seems to be coming from the swimmers. It sounds like they have a guilty conscience for swimming in the wrong kit."
The swimmers also reportedly criticised SSA for an alleged lack of support in the build-up to the Games and for "refusing" to accredit the United States coach of
Roland Schoeman, Ryk Neethling and Lyndon Ferns, Rick Demont.
Seeking a sponsor for incentives
Schoeman, also the first South African to win three medals at an Olympics, has also threatened to retire from swimming, citing a lack of financial support.
National Olympic Committee of SA president Sam Ramsamy is still seeking a sponsor for incentives for medal winners and is due to make an announcement on Sunday.
Norman said an agreement had been reached between Swimming SA, Nocsa, Speedo and the swimmers, allowing the athletes to swim in an alternate kit provided they blacked out the logo.
But, there had been some disgruntlement at SSA that the swimmers had not done a good job of blacking out the logos.
Responding to allegations that SSA had not provided as much support as they might have Norman said: "That is absolute rubbish.
"We have spent R1.5m On the eight swimmers and
one diver since April.
We paid their
rent, their grocery bills, just about everything, I have the receipts to
prove it.
"It's always the case like this," he said, "the guys do well and become
national heroes and then they destroy their credibility by making silly
statements to the press.
"Any allegations that they make against us are not true and I've got proof."
'Maverick' Gary Hall fined R5 000
Regarding Demont, Norman pointed out Nocsa had allocated SSA only three places for accreditation and said SSA had spent R40 000 for the coach's accommodation and spending money in Athens.
The CEO said Swimming SA might even go so far as to stop supporting swimmers who trained overseas.
"And would you blame us, considering what has happened here? Look at the American swimmer Gary Hall who entered the pool area for the 50m final in a
Stars and Stripes robe.
"The US federation fined him R5 000 and said he was a
maverick and not a team player.
"I think our guys are mavericks, too. I think Roland is trying to copy Hall - just look at how he postured on that podium; he just made himself look stupid."
Asked if SSA had considered setting up a meeting to try to find a solution to the swimmers' complaints, Norman said: "We're always here. But they never bother to contact us. Not even an e-mail."
