World Leaders Disagree With Packed Schedule

PHOENIX, Arizona, September 26. ACCORDING to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald both the United States and Australia joined in bashing the tightly-packed international schedule during its global conference.

Newly-elected USA Swimming President Jim Wood spoke out about the crammed schedule.

"We know it’s important for FINA to market its brand,” Wood said. “But, maybe we don't need as many events as the rest of the world does because of our collegiate-level competitions."

Wood went on to speak about the continued commercialization of the sport at large.

"I'm all for building the FINA brand and the sport as long as the No.1 priority is focusing on athletes and giving them the opportunity to reach their goals," Wood said.

Meanwhile, Swimming Australia President Neil Martin concurs that the schedule is much too busy.

"FINA wants to develop the stars of swimming to promote them by having them go to all the events," Martin said. "That's great, but the stars just won't go if the schedule doesn't work."

FINA president Mustapha Larfaoui acknowledged the need to avoid "overlapping between the major international competitions," but said that "this conference was the ideal way to meet and discuss the calendar with our partners."

Additionally, all parties discussed the NBC request that swimming finals be moved to the morning at the 2008 Beijing Games.

"FINA's position is clear,” executive director Cornel Marculescu said. “We prefer to have the meet in the evenings. But the final decision will be made by the IOC. We must wait to see what they decide."

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