1976 U.S. Women’s 400 FR Should Be Inducted into USOC Hall of Fame

PHOENIX, Arizona, April 2. SWIMMING World CEO Brent Rutemiller writes “1976 U.S. Women's 400 FR Should Be Inducted into USOC Hall of Fame” in the latest Voice for the Sport, which appears in the April 2012 issue of Swimming World Magazine. The column is reprinted in full below:

The U.S. Olympic Committee will be inducting athletes into its hall of fame later this year. Six Olympians, one Paralympian and one team will be introduced at an induction ceremony in Chicago, Ill., on July 12. Gary Hall Jr., Jenny Thompson and the 1976 Olympic women's 400 freestyle relay are all nominees representing the sport of swimming.

Honoring Kim Peyton, Wendy Boglioli, Jill Sterkel and Shirley Babashoff as members of the 1976 Olympic 400 free relay is long overdue. They overcame every obstacle, including lying, cheating, public discourse and media bashing to emerge victorious over the steroid-built bodies of the East German women.

With the entire world watching, Babashoff anchored the relay. Peyton, Boglioli and Sterkel split huge lifetime bests, with Peyton setting an American record on the lead. Babashoff's relay leg embodied the frustration and hopes of the entire team of 24 athletes and coaches as she hit the water to bring home the toughest gold medal ever earned and the only one for the U.S. women in those Games.

Video of race

What is even more astonishing–in what can only be called as a mind over body feat–Babashoff and her teammates broke the East German world record by four seconds. The crowd's noise still echoes in time. The women of '76 had their one ounce of revenge–a huge statement with a Hollywood ending that is still not put to film!

It was a bittersweet finish to an event that still needs to be rectified in the Olympic record books since the results of those steroid-tainted Games remain valid today.

Since then, reports from the East German Stasi files, first reported in Swimming World Magazine, indicated that more than 10,000 athletes were party to the abuse–most unknowingly and without parent permission. Many of the women have experienced psychological problems or have delivered children with birth defects from the after effects of doping.

Babashoff was branded as a poor sportsperson for her comments, implying that the East German women were on growth hormones. Headlines called her “Surly Shirley.” Favored to win multiple gold medals, she came away with four silver medals and only one gold. The media portrayed the U.S. women as “Ugly Americans.” Even we reported in the September 1976 issue, “The American women found themselves in the position of 'Ugly Americans,' thanks to some comments from a few of the girls. The American blasts even went so far as criticizing the low voices of some of the DDR girls. But as one DDR official said, 'We came here to swim, not to sing.' ”

On that note, we should all be singing the praises told by so many who know the truth. Vote for the 1976 women's freestyle relay to be inducted into the USOC Hall of Fame under the “Team” category as a small token of our country's appreciation to these women.

Gary Hall Jr. and Jenny Thompson are the only swimmers nominated as athletes. Hall Jr. won back-to-back gold medals in the 50 free in 2000 and 2004, and was a three-time member of the gold medal-winning men's 400 free relay team. Thompson won 12 medals, including eight gold, which is the most for any female Olympic swimmer in history.

The public can vote by visiting TeamUSA.org/halloffame. Voters will be allowed to vote once per day, per category, through April 9, 2012.

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Video Preview of April Issue

April 2012 Issue
Contents of The April issue:

7 Lane Lines to London sponsored by Competitor by Jason Marsteller
This month's regional Olympic preview features Europe.
13 2012 Olympic Preview: Diving by Emily Sampl
Four years ago, Chinese divers captured seven out of a possible eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. The story could be much the same in London.
14 Olympic Flashback: 1960-72 by Jeff Commings with special contributions by Steve Johnson
16 Going the Distance(s) by John Lohn
China's Sun Yang, the world record holder in the men's 1500 meter freestyle, is the favorite for a gold medal in that event come London. And he also has the ability to medal in the 200 and 400 free as well.
18 Top 12 World Masters of 2011 by Jason Marsteller
19 Pool's Edge: Mindful Swimming by Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen
20 Dryside Training: Hard Core! by J.R. Rosania
22 Q&A with Coach Dawn Dill by Michael J. Stott
25 How They Train: Wyatt Ubellacker by Michael J. Stott
29 Peer Coaching: Sharing the Load by Michael J. Stott
While it doesn't take a village to teach a swimmer, a little help from a friend can go a long way.
31 USSSA: Learning through Repetition by Lory Kirk
33 National Age Group Record Setter by Judy Jacob
34 American Relay by Judy Jacob
35 TYR Age Group Swimmer of the Month
36 Goldminds: The Performance Puzzle by Wayne Goldsmith
Swimming fast is like solving a puzzle. Your success in swimming is determined by how effectively you put the pieces of the “swimming performance puzzle” together.

DEPARTMENTS
6 A Voice for the Sport
38 Lane 9/Gutter Talk
39 For the Record
43 Calendar
46 Parting Shot
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