SYDNEY, Australia, May 1. LESS than a week after FINA announced it would not ratify her 52.99 performance in the 100 freestyle as a world record, Australia's Libby Lenton will not receive the $20,000 that Fujitsu, a Duel in the Pool sponsor, had indicated it was happy to see go to Lenton. The sprinter's time, produced in a mixed relay and while swimming next to Michael Phelps, was lower than the 53.30 world record of Germany's Britta Steffen.
Last week, Fujitsu said it was fine with Lenton receiving the bonus money for a time that is the fastest in history, but won't appear on an official basis. But, the $20,000 was governed by Swimming Australia and it was the organization that had to decide whether to give the money to Lenton. However, Swimming Australia's Glenn Tasker said his group would lose between $150,000-$200,000 on the Duel in the Pool and, therefore, would not pay Lenton.
"If you take all of the expenses of the meet — the pool, the security, the catering — the money we got from the sponsors doesn't cover the cost of the meet," Tasker was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun. "There are no dollars left. I don't have the money."
According to the newspaper story, Swimming Australia was prepared to pay Lenton had her performance been ratified by FINA. Meanwhile, Lenton's manager, David Flaskas, is considering whether an appeal to FINA is worthwhile.