FINA Coaches Commission “Broken” – Open Letter Calling Coaching Members To Resign

John Leonard, Executive Director For The American Swim Coaches Association, has been an outspoken leader calling for change in the way the sport of Swimming is governed. Swimming World obtained an open letter urging the members of the FINA Coaches Commission to resign implying that their role in the advising FINA because “Nothing Ever Happens”.   The following is the entire open letter, unedited.

Dear Friends,

As coaches, typically you go to work every day, come up with new ideas, consult with those around you and….amazingly, something actually HAPPENS to improve the lives of the athletes you work with!

Now you’ve served on the FINA Coaches Commission for awhile, where you all have learned that NOTHING EVER HAPPENS!

Prompted by the courage and intelligence of Jacco to resign from the coaches commission, the courage of the two best members of the FINA anti-doping commission (last summer) to RESIGN, and the courage of Craig Lord to RESIGN  from the equally impotent FINA MEDIA Commission, I am prompted to ask…WHY ARE YOU STILL THERE?

I speak from experience. I served two full terms on the Coaches Commission, plus experienced it from the outside while my mentor Peter Daland was the first chair, and another term outside, where I served FINA as the “Education Consultant”. In NONE of that time was anything ever actually accomplished, though I enjoyed some fine meals and met some fine coaches like yourselves.

Your continued presence on the FINA COACHES COMMISSION is a buttressing of a BROKEN INSTITUTION with no intent to ever do anything to enhance the lives of anyone but their own Bureau. No help to athletes, no help to coaches, just self-interest. And your serving on the group, allows FINA to say “see, we include coaches!” (yes, for dinner in a secondary sort of way….but NOT FOR DECISIONS or ACTION.)

Each of us must act on our own conscience. But I ask again “WHY ARE YOU STILL THERE?”

I ask this as a friend to every coach, everywhere. You are serving as a stooge and tool of an evil empire. Get out is my best advice. Hasten the rebuild of FINA in a better way. Support the rights of athletes and coaches everywhere.

– John Leonard – Executive Director For The American Swimming Coaches Association.

 FINA COACHES COMMITTEE