Swimming Community Finds FINA’s UAE Open Water Decision “Disgusting”

Photo Courtesy: Swimming Canada/Scott Grant

PHOENIX – Within minutes of Swimming World breaking the news to those in the English-speaking swimming community that FINA had not only elected to go forward with an open water stop in the country where Fran Crippen perished more than four years ago but also tripled the prize pool, the swimming Twitter community lit on fire rejecting the move.

One of the common words used so far in response is that the community has found the move to be “disgusting.”

Here are some of those reactions:

Throw money at it? This is disgusting. "@SwimmingWorld: FINA Confirms Open Water Race in UAE; Triples Prize Pool pic.twitter.com/prJM9xBYlW"

— Tyler Clary, OLY (@TylerClary) February 26, 2015

Shameful. @SwimmingWorld: FINA Confirms Open Water Race in UAE; Triples Prize Pool http://t.co/XlVhNe0Jcf pic.twitter.com/tAvUw8d5Ca

— Tim Liebhold (@timswim) February 26, 2015

@Bonnie_D_Ford @SwimmingWorld This make the Crippen Cup even more important to all of us involved with Open Water.

— Grant Holicky (@grantholicky) February 26, 2015

https://twitter.com/astern0087/status/570954905298599936

https://twitter.com/HollywoodinDC/status/570954323712204801

@ClaireAnne12 @SwimmingWorld Sad that $ trumps athlete safety for FINA.

— Justine (@swimmerswammer) February 26, 2015

@Bonnie_D_Ford @SwimmingWorld Disgusting and insenstive

— Eliza (@eliza_jacobs) February 26, 2015

@HollywoodinDC @SwimmingWorld disrespectful to Fran's memory and USA Swimming, and a danger to athletes, truly. I'm very disappointed.

— Claire Anne (@ClaireAnne12) February 26, 2015

@SwimmingWorld really don't understand that considering the last time they held an open water event in UAE someone died. Obvs money talks

— Jim Sanderson (@_jimsanderson) February 26, 2015

https://twitter.com/HollywoodinDC/status/570953226830401536

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Survivor

9 years ago

where is the swimming community’s ‘disgust’ with rapist coaches who continue to infiltrate the sport? Honoring Fran Crippen means making the sport safer and better in ALL ways, and I haven’t seen Swimming World support survivors very much…