British Paralympian Considering Sports Allegiance After Losing 2012 Olympic Bid

LONDON, England, July 17. A British Paralympic swimmer lost his appeal to be a part of the 2012 team, and is now thinking of representing another country in time for the 2016 Paralympics.

According to an article by the British newspaper The Telegraph, David Roberts had asked British Swimming to overturn their decision to omit him from the team after Roberts had underperformed at the Paralympic Trials last spring. After British Swimming elected to stick with their initial ruling, citing Roberts' illnesses and injuries as a cause.

“After receiving an independent medical report we believe Dave has not met the standards set out for selection to the Paralympics Games,” said British Swimming CEO David Sparkes.

Robers was “disillusioned” with the decision and is now considering a sports nationality switch to Sweden by 2016. Roberts' fiancee, Agata Jankowska, is from Sweden, and after they are married, he told The Telegraph he plans to move there to establish residency.

“Who knows, you may see me swimming for a different country,” Roberts said. “That's what you do in life and in sport in general — you can't allow something to knock you down or push you away because that's not what life's about.”

Roberts is Great Britain's most successful Paralympian, winning 11 gold medals and 16 total medals at the Paralympics since 2000.

Full text of Telegraph article

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