FINA Questioned For Returning Open Water Report Back To Task Force Investigating Crippen Death

PHOENIX, Arizona, April 7. ACCORDING to a report by Craig Lord of SwimNews.com, the Open Water Task Force report into the death of Fran Crippen in a 10K race off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Oct. 23, 2010 has been returned to the panel of experts for revision.

Lord reports that the "Task Force of experts, which includes three medical doctors, is now considering how to reframe work that at this stage and can (no) longer be considered to be entirely independent, given that the latest instruction to 'think again' came from a federation whose very organization is at the heart of questions over the death of Fran Crippen."

According to SwimNews, one senior source indicated that the Task Force panel of experts appointed Nov.1, 2010, is minded to stick largely to their original report: "They are serious, professional people and they want to put together a decent report. The integrity of these people means that they are taking their role seriously and they will not put their names to something that they are not entirely happy with."

John Leonard, Executive Director for the American Swim Coaches Association, e-mailed Cornel Marculescu, the FINA executive director, on April 6 expressing his concerns:

Dear Cornel,

In the Aquatics World Magazine published by FINA, 2011/#2, under the article "Shanghai is Getting Ready", Mr. Barelli of Italy is quoted as saying,

"moreover the final report made by the FINA Task Force in charge of investigating the cause and circumstances surrounding the tragic death of open water swimmer Fran Crippen (USA) will be ready soon. (This was a FEBRUARY publication.) By appointing an independent task force, FINA wanted to assure the maximum transparency and complete truth on what happened last October in Fujairah (UAE)."

Cornel, now we are given to understand that the FINA report will not be available until after the Bureau meets in July in Shanghai. This begs the definition of "SOON".

Second, we are told via the media and in direct reports from others, that the TASK FORCE did indeed deliver a report to FINA and it was "sent back" for revisions. This begs the definition of "INDEPENDENT", "MAXIMUM TRANSPARENCY, and "TRUTH".

The conclusions that most in the world would draw is that things in the original report existed that were not sought by FINA and might in fact be detrimental or damaging to FINA. Again, the definition of "TRUTH" is absolutely at risk here.

Please tell me why a distinguished panel of experts would be assembled by FINA with the intent, one would presume and your previous FINA communications on this topic would confirm, of improving the safety of FINA events and determining the cause of Mr. Crippen's death. So which is it, did you object to the distinguished panel's findings regarding safety requirements, or was the original report critical of FINA in the circumstances of Mr. Crippen's death?

If they exceeded their Task Force charge in some way, was it in regard to their recommendations for safety, or their recommendations relating to the manner in which FINA is governed and administered?

Why would an organization seeking "Maximum Transparency and Complete Truth" behave in this manner?

OR perhaps Mr. Barelli, the "Honorary Secretary" of FINA was not speaking for the organization when he was quoted in FINA's official publication, 2011/#2?

Cornel, since i am neither a member of FINA, nor a representative of a National Federation, I realize you are under no obligation to respond to my questions, but I wish to assure you that I will be asking them continuously, loud and long, until FINA provides some adequate response.

Sincerely,
John Leonard
American Swimming Coaches Association.

While the world waits for FINA to enact new safety measures that Fran Crippen himself lobbied for prior to his tragic death, it is ironic that The Fran Crippen Memorial 2011 FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup will be held next week on April 17 without implementing any Task Force recommendations.

Meanwhile, the sport of open water swimming is growing at a rate faster than one new event per day. According to data reported to Swimming World, the sport experienced 16 deaths in 2010 at more than 3,600 events held in 84 countries.

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