I have received no financial assistance from SA, Ian Thorpe

I have received no financial assistance from SA, Ian Thorpe

The five-time Olympic champion, Ian Thorpe has denied all rumours of receiving financial support from Swimming Australia in his preparations for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The 29-year-old Thorpe claimed that he has received no aid from SA and expressed that his $150,000 expenses for his London Games preparation are not too much. Recently, some of the elite Australian swimmers raised their concern that SA has provided the trio
of Thorpe, Libby Trickett and Michael Klim with a huge amount to finance their preparations.

Thorpe won five gold medals at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympic Games, most won by any Australian swimmer. He retired from competitive swimming in 2006 but made a comeback to his favourite spot in February 2011, where he articulated his desire of
making his way into the Australian 4*100m freestyle relay team for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

It was rumoured that SA provided Thorpe with more than $100,000 but the Australian Swimming Head Coach, Leigh Nugent has denied that by expressing that no special treatment has been provide to Thorpe or any other swimmer.

“I haven’t been paid a cent. I think it’s been clarified by a number of people, and that what’s been reported isn’t factful,” said Thorpe.

“There are a number of athletes, either world record holder[s] or Olympic medallists, [who] have been funded, which is not dissimilar to other athletes in the sport.”

“I don’t think it’s been excessive. I am happy to be able to talk about this honestly so others know it hasn’t been preferential. It’s not for me to decide on funding. I look at the struggles athletes have in all sports across Australia and the issues they
have around funding. And I know what I have had to do to prepare. I am grateful I have been assisted but it’s not my decision who does and doesn’t get funded,” he added.

Furthermore, the Australian Selection Trials for the 2012 London Games will start from March 15 in Adelaide. The Australian veteran will compete in the 100m freestyle and if he finishes in the top six, he will secure his place in the Australian squad to
London.

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Posted by Mursil Mehmood Butt on Mar 14 2012. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry