Fran Crippen Commemoration Day
Editorial-Commentary
Today marks the saddest day on the world-class swimming calendar: it is the ninth anniversary of the death of Fran Crippen, the first swimmer to lose his life on the watch of FINA and USA Swimming.
Tragedy upon tragedy, it is also a day on which we must read these words from Fran’s mother, Pat Crippen, on behalf of herself and husband Pete Crippen, Fran’s dad, responding to troubling events surrounding the World Beach Games 5km races in Doha, Qatar, this month:
“I ask myself how would I answer a parent who asks me if I had the opportunity, would I ever allow one of my children to swim open water? No one has ever asked me that question. My heart says ‘yes’ because Fran loved it so but my good judgement says ‘no’ because FINA continues to sanction these events that clearly push and exceed the safe limit. Makes me think there are organizers out there who just don’t care.”
“And FINA – it confirms my belief that there was never a sincere resolve on their part to put swimmers safety over money. When I hear about these questionable races FINA sponsors, I feel like Fran’s death was merely bad PR and only temporarily in the way of their grand plan to follow the money.”
There is a very big question to USA Swimming leaders Tim Hinchey and Mike Unger this day, too:
“And USA Swimming – where are they in all of this? Having lost one of their own swimmers why aren’t they speaking out loud and clear every single time about putting swimmers at risk in races like Doha. Is their international stature such that they are not able to exert any influence on FINA to hold them responsible for putting swimmers at risk. We don’t think so. It makes us wonder.”
The parents of Fran, who with Fran’s world-class-swimmer sisters, Maddie, Teresa and Claire and other family members, mourn the loss of their only son, brother, potential partner, husband and father this day, paid plaudits to Ashley Twichell and Haley Anderson and others, such as the entire Canadian team, who bypassed Doha on safety grounds:
“… the swimmers who decline to compete and speak out like Ashley and Haley … tremendous respect for their fortitude”
Read more from Pat and Pete Crippen below. Some context:
Fran Crippen – Photo Courtesy: Fran Crippen Elevation Foundation
There is much yet to say and much yet to be revealed on the matter of promises made and rules changed but then not observed. That full story is not this day. This day we honour Fran and mark his passing with a warning on safety and a plea from his parents to all guardians of swimmers and their safety, FINA and USA Swimming in sharp focus and the scrutiny they not only deserve but have drawn to themselves by failing to do what they must: ” … everything in our power” to honour Fran’s memory by ensuring there would never again be loss of life down to the same shameful circumstances.
Excuses and abdications of responsibility and duty are a part of the mix of all things that have come to pass since the months, weeks and days of lead-up to Fran’s death on that fateful October 23, 2010, off the coast of Fujiarah, United Arab Emirates, in waters and air temperatures and under race conditions, on ground, in water and in the rule book, that ought to have added up to “Race Cancelled” before a toe was dipped.
And dipped in waters that had not been scheduled to have even hosted the race at all as the competitors arrived for the last FINA World Cup showcase event of the 2010 season in the UAE knowing that if they did not complete the course for any reasons, then under FINA series rules, accepted and therefore agreed by USA Swimming as one of the leading lights in FINA governance, they would forfeit their season earnings.
Both FINA and USA Swimming bear a responsibility that no amount of apologies, nor dollars can ever compensate for.
Their and THE only way to honour Fran Crippen is for such guardians to do everything in their power to ensure safety, even if that means cancelling events and steering clear of waters that are likely to present a serious problem when it comes to water temperatures. In the mix are debates brushed aside by the likes of the FINA leadership about event bidding processes and appropriateness of venues for world-class swimming.
With all the above in mind, we turn to disturbing events that unfolded this month and to the response of Pat and Pete Crippen, the parents of Fran who oversee the Fran Crippen Elevation Foundation and all the fine work it does in memory of a champion lost when and where his passing should and could have been avoided, it is easy to conclude from the findings and details of two independent reports into his death.
The Background In Brief
The World Beach Games was organised this month by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). The organisation is led by Kuwaiti Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, the man who greeted International Swimming League founder Konstantin Grigorishin with the words “You can speak to me, I run world swimming”, even though he has no official function at global level in the sport at all.
Sheikh Al-Sabah is the self-suspended head of ANOC and his right-hand man at the Olympic Council for Asia that he also leads is the paid director Husain Al-Musallam, fellow Kuwaiti who is the heir apparent to the FINA throne as ‘first vice-president’. Both men have huge influence on any events held under FINA rules and in the Middle East, particularly events such as the Beach Games organised by ANOC and powerful players in the Olympic realm.
‘Self-suspension’ means two things in ANOC language, apparently: no-one else can stand for the top job while the Sheikh awaits his date with a Swiss court over allegations of fraud; and there is no impediment to the Sheikh turning up to the Beach Games and hosting a series of meetings in the official ANOC, with streams of officials, including Sam Ramsamy, another vice-president of FINA.
It is in such forums that business is done, according to some of those at the very helm of organisations such as FINA. By the time the executive sit in meetings “most business is passed by a show of hands”, agreement having been reached before the meetings take place, leading FINA officials have told Swimming World separately and in those precise words.
In Doha at the Beach Games, with FINA checkers, including a coach there at the request of FINA, overseeing general organisation and the water-temperature tests critical to whether an even can or cannot go ahead under FINA rules, FINA rules were broken.
Organisers announced that waters on the course off Katara Beach, Doha in Qatar were measured at 30.9C before racing, inside the 31C limit imposed by FINA. However, swimmers, among other sources, told Swimming World that that was at 4am. During the race in question, water temperatures were over 31C and the thermometer even read 32.8C at one stage according to one witness present.
Ashley Twichell and Haley Anderson – Photo Courtesy: Andy Ross
Swimmers there complained of the heat after the race, while American aces Haley Anderson and Ashley Twichell and the entire Canadian team withdrew from the Games before racing on grounds of safety.
It is not the first time since Fran Crippen’s death that major international events held under FINA rules and supervision have gone ahead in water temperatures over the 31C limit, leading to teams from Japan and the United States, among other individual swimmers, to withdraw.
In 2017, Fran Crippen’s coach, Dick Shoulberg, called on USA Swimming to put its foot down with FINA and demand an explanation and consequences after the 10km events at the Asian Open Water Championships were held in waters off the Malaysian coast at 31.9 degrees Celsius.
FINA official Ronnie Wong, who served as chairman of the international federation’s Technical Open Water Swimming Committee when it established rule OWS 5.5 (specifying temperature limits), gave the thumbs up to the race off the Malaysian coast.
Team Japan complaints fell on deaf ears. They withdrew but the race was allowed to go on.
The Doha event this month was also held under FINA rules and FINA supervision. The same was true when Tokyo held its marathon swimming test event last year and heat was not the only issue of concern.
A troubling trend emerged after the Doha event, when women’s 5kmn race winner Ana Cunha, of Brazil, suggested that she and other open waters swimmers are chasing hot water in order to acclimatise themselves for racing in conditions that would be wholly unacceptable for a 50m sprinter: the FINA upper limit for the pool is 28C in conditions where the air temperature is also controlled; the FINA upper limit for open water is 31C – and that when the air temperature can be the same or way beyond that, even into the 40s.
For insight into what that means, here’s an exchange between lawyer, safety advocate and 1984 Olympic 100m freestyle champion Nancy Hogshead-Makar and this author in the wake of the Doha race:
“I can’t even believe the limit is 87 degrees Fahrenheit! When we had to train in 85 degrees, we had to get out and take cold showers. My teammates’ faces were purple.” – Nancy Hogshead-Makar
“Precisely, absolute madness, as anyone who ever did a 10×400 free set in 29C on a day when the pool plant messed up will tell you, me and any sane person who has an ear to hear…” – StateofSwimming
Add in other factors, such a E-coli…
Tokyo 2020 Test Event Concerns
In its coverage of the test event, the Japan Times noted: “In October 2017, Tokyo 2020 organizers were left embarrassed after tests revealed levels of E. coli bacteria more than 20 times higher than international standards, sparking doubts about the venue’s safety.
“At the time, the organizing committee blamed prolonged summer rain that had brought pollutants from offshore for the high readings between late July and early September. A year later, organizers said tests using underwater “screens” to filter the water had successfully reduced bacteria levels at the venue, which will also host the triathlon. Kida said the water was ‘a little stinky, and the clarity was not very good so I really want (organisers) to improve the quality’.”
Fran Crippen – Photo Courtesy: ABCNews.com
A Plea From Pat and Pete Crippen
In response to the idea of filters being used, Peter Crippen, Fran’s father, told Swimming World:
“I know enough about water chemistry to say it is absolutely ridiculous to say they are using screens to filter the water from E coli. The only thing that will kill e-coli is APO advanced oxygen potential, or UV in open water neither is possible. The source must be eliminated. No screen will do it! Frankly, these people are either liars or just plain stupid.”
Here’s what I think when I read an article such as this and I hear reports about these races that clearly ignore the standard set after Frans death,” writes Fran’s mom, Pat Crippen, on behalf of both Fran’s parents.
“I ask myself how would I answer a parent who asks me if I had the opportunity, would I ever allow one of my children to swim open water? No one has ever asked me that question. My heart says ‘yes’ because Fran loved it so but my good judgement says ‘no’ because FINA continues to sanction these events that clearly push and exceed the safe limit. Makes me think there are organizers out there who just don’t care.”
“And FINA – it confirms my belief that there was never a sincere resolve on their part to put swimmers safety over money. When I hear about these questionable races FINA sponsors, I feel like Fran’s death was merely bad PR and only temporarily in the way of their grand plan to follow the money.”
“And the swimmers who decline to compete and speak out like Ashley and Haley – I have tremendous respect for their fortitude. As a swimming parent I have seen hard swimmers at this level train for these events. I’ve witnessed the build up to and focus on race day. Then to get to the competition and withdraw is very hard and disappointing to them. They’ve missed a window.
“And USA Swimming – where are they in all of this? Having lost one of their own swimmers why aren’t they speaking out loud and clear every single time about putting swimmers at risk in races like Doha. Is their international stature such that they are not able to exert any influence on FINA to hold them responsible for putting swimmers at risk. We don’t think so. It makes us wonder.”
It makes me and many others wonder too.
Pat and Pete Crippen – Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien
This day, this writer will not send a series of questions to USA Swimming but Swimming World will be happy to publish a statement in response to the issues raised by Pat and Pete Crippen and others above should the federation have a view.
This day, this writer will not send a series of questions to FINA. I have sent more than 500 questions to the international federation on behalf of The Times, the Sunday Times, SwimVortex and Swimming World since 2014 that remain unanswered. None off those questions were or are trivial; all are on substantial, significant issues and most on issues related to athlete welfare and safety and the good governance of observing rules.
This day, we honour Fran Crippen and his family. His passing should not be in vain. That was the pledge of organisers and guardians who know they got it wrong. They still have much work to do and cultural change to accept.
This day, a family mourns and a world swimming community mourns alongside the Crippens. This from coach Bill Rose, posted on Facebook last night, sums up the feelings of many this day:
“To my “Buddy” Fran… Tomorrow it will be 9 years since you passed on to Heaven way before before you were supposed to. Since that day I, as well as so many others, have not been quite the same. I haven’t “moved on”, but I have tried to honor your love and caring for all those you touched. Please be there to greet us with that wonderful smile when we ultimately meet again. We all Love you Buddy…”
R.I.P. Fran – and know that there will be no rest until the guardians of swimming do the right thing.