Brazilian Swimmers Upset By Pan Am Decision
RIO DE JANEIRO, April 11. BRAZILIAN swimmers expressed their disappointment today following yesterday's measure taken by the Pan American Games Organization (ODEPA) to cut eight events from the next Games in Santo Domingo.
"They played a dirty trick on the swimmers who trained for those events," said Brazilian srpint specialist Fernando Scherer. "I am evaluating the possibility of skipping the meet."
Scherer qualified for the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle at the Pan Ams.
"By this decision, the Games lost their prestige. Now I will focus just on the Worlds," said Raphael Thuin, who only qualified in the 50 meter butterfly.
Brazil's rising young female distance star, Nayara Ribeiro, also expressed her disapproval of the decision: "The rules ought to have been changed earlier {if the organizing committee wanted to change them). Despite the fact that I also qualified in the 800 meter free (in addition to the 1500 meters, her best 2event), it was a shock for me."