Michael Phelps slammed U.S.A. Swimming yet again, this time for banning international swimmers from using its facilities.
“What are our goals?” Phelps, 40, wrote in his Instagram Story on Wednesday, December 24. “I thrived training [with] all athletes. Never discriminated.”
Phelps’ comments were met with likeminded remarks.
“Short-sighted, decreased revenue, and is hardly in agreement with the Olympic Motto and spirit of inclusion. What, exactly, are the benefits????” one SwimSwam follower responded.
“It’s just going to take the fastest swimmers in the world on Bob Bowman’s squad and force them to seek other options. Camaraderie has always been apart of competition, especially in swimming, shortsighted decision in my opinion,” another wrote.
“Why? This seems pretty dumb to be honest, and isn’t really based in good faith or sportsmanship,” a third noted.
The 28-time Olympic medalist’s reaction comes on the heels of USA Swimming CEO Kevin Ring groundbreaking announcement.
Ring—who took on his new role in September—revealed on a recent episode of the “SwimSwam” podcast that “beginning in 2028, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) would no longer allow international athletes at their training facilities, namely the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.”
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This is not the first time Phelps has slammed the organizations decisions in recent months.
During the World Championship in August, Phelps admitted he would not want his four sons participating in competitive swimming in the organization’s current state.
“As a Dad to four young boys, it pains me to say that I’m not sure if I’d want my sons to be a part of this sport at a competitive level,” the retired athlete shared via Instagram at the time. “Yes, swimming changed my life, but it also caused a lot of heartache, and its current state makes me both sad and angry.”
He continued, “If we don’t talk about it, it won’t get fixed. I want to see the sport flourish and I want to be a part of the solution. I’ve always said that I wanted to change the sport of swimming in the U.S. and that sentiment still holds true. I still care and I’m not ready to give up.”
