{"id":230823,"date":"2016-11-28T10:07:49","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T17:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=230823"},"modified":"2016-11-28T13:45:59","modified_gmt":"2016-11-28T20:45:59","slug":"the-path-to-clean-swimming-a-call-to-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/the-path-to-clean-swimming-a-call-to-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"The Path To Clean Swimming; A Call To Athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Commentary by John Leonard
\n<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

We see admirable courageous stances by athletes from multiple nations in Rio with regard to the immediate and important need to protect our sport. <\/span><\/p>\n

This comes about because the IOC and its subsidiary International Federation Puppets such as FINA in our sport, have abdicated their moral responsibility to protect and preserve the sanctity of Olympic Ideals and Values. They have revealed themselves as simply a financial machine generating BILLIONS of dollars while sharing pittances with the Athletes on whose backs those dollars are generated, AND THEN, they are so arrogant as to ask the athletes to protect their private money generating circus by not \u00a0protesting the prostitution of clean sport, as FINA and the IOC have done by allowing the dopers to swim. <\/span><\/p>\n

Which leaves us with \u201cWHAT TO DO\u201d? <\/b><\/p>\n

Here are the SIMPLE (not easy, but SIMPLE) steps: <\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    The real power in sport is with the athletes<\/b>. Read that again three times. As athletes, you have become so used to the mindset of \u201cbig brother IOC will take care of all\u201d that now that that trust has been betrayed, you have not realized ITS ALL ABOUT YOU. Your heart, soul, passion and BODY are what the IOC is getting rich on, and all the IF\u2019s underneath them as well, (Read FINA, with their 100 Million in the bank while you starve.)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    ATHLETES MUST UNITE, form your own organization and TELL THE IOC under WHAT CONDITIONS YOU WILL PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CIRCUS. (Suggestions on conditions to follow.)\u00a0You must be willing to go on STRIKE.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Do not be scared off by those who say \u201cno one gets hurt in a boycott except the athletes.\u201d That\u2019s right, but those two boycotts \u201cthey\u201d are referring to were created by governments (USA and former Soviet Union) with vague international political goals in mind, NOT goals of and for athletes. The FACT is that every STRIKE ever called by world professional athletes has WON THE DAY for the athletes. Strikes work, because they hit the finances of those who own the league (Read, IOC, USOC). \u00a0And of course, it\u2019s better to own your own league.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. You can run your own Swim Circuit without them, earn REAL money, and be in control of your destiny. See GOLF and TENNIS. I am here to help you do it, when you are ready and I have a team in place to help you do it. And I won\u2019t accept an American nickel to do it. No money for me. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      This is about you and generations to follow. \u00a0I want my children who coach, to be able to coach CLEAN ATHLETES and aspire to win in the generations ahead. That\u2019s my personal motivation for the cynics to understand. <\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. Once you have a viable option to the IOC and their Circus, you are in control. Yes, keep the Olympics, but have it drug free, have it the way you dreamed of it when you were a child and emerging elite athletes. Not the cynical freak show of today, all marketing, no soul. Value your Dreams. They can be real. They can be real. They can be real. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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        1. What conditions do you want? Here are \u201csuggestions\u201d. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n