Winning ways

Swimming World and Junior Swimmer, Jun 1999 by Whitten, Phillip

Like all sports, swimming is, in part, about winning and being a winner. But the two do not necessarily go hand-inhand: not all swimmers who win are winners. There are many ways to be a winner-both in swimming and in life. Some are life-enhancing, others are not. In this and subsequent issues of Swimming World, we will explore that theme.

One of the biggest challenges we face in our sport is keeping it drug-free. Swimming, traditionally, has been among the "cleanest" of sports, and many of us are fighting hard to keep it that way.

Several years ago, when Swimming World was fighting what was then a very lonely battle against Chinese doping, I was invited by the Chinese Swimming Federation to visit China and see for myself what was happening.

I accepted gladly. But when I insisted on bringing my own interpreter (a former student of mine at Harvard), visiting certain facilities and meeting with specific individuals, the invitation was hastily withdrawn. Apparently, only Potemkin Village tours were permitted.

Recently, Craig Lord, our European correspondent, accepted China's oft-repeated invitation to visit and see how the Chinese were cleaning up the drug problem (the same problem they denied existed several years earlier). However, Shi Tianshu, the vice president of the Chinese swim federation, withdrew the invitation: "I am sorry to inform you," he faxed Craig, "that due to other commitments, we are unable to accept you to visit China."

This time we were prepared. "Your reply is most disappointing," wrote Craig to Mr. Shi, and he pointed out that if China wants to convince the world it is serious about dealing with its drug problem, it has to be more open. Eventually, Craig was reinvited. His article about his visit will appear in the July issue. For those of us hoping that China would get a handle on its drug problem, the article makes for disturbing reading.

On May 3 and 4, Michelle Smith de Bruin's long-postponed appeal of her four-year ban by FINA was being heard in Lausanne, Switzerland by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

As we went to press, the court had not yet rendered a judgment. However, one thing that was learned was the name of the drug that the alcohol in Smith de Bruin's urine sample apparently was meant to mask. Turns out the drug was androstendione. Better known as "andro," it is a steroid developed and used by the East Germans in the 1960s and 70s. It is also the drug Mark McGwire used to fuel his 70 home runs last year.

The best way to win-and become a winner in life-is to develop and utilize all of your faculties-physical and mental. Think about this as you read the story on Australian Olympic champion Susie O'Neill. Think about it, too, as our "Mind Matters" master, Byron Davis, begins a brilliant seven-part series on "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Swimmers." Seven champions will reveal the habits that have made them successful. In this issue, Lenny Krayzelburg talks about focus.

Phil's e-mail: SwimPhil@AOL.com