Phelps Releases Public Statement Criticizing USA Swimming: After being highly critical of USA Swimming on social media after the 2025 World Championships, Michael Phelps made a public statement last week calling for systemic change in the organization. Also: The 2025 Golden Goggle nominees are announced, USA Swimming makes a rule change proposal that would see stroke 50 National Age Group Records added to the 15-16 and 17-18 age groups, and the 2025 World Junior Swimming Championships kick off on Tuesday in Romania. Michael Phelps: "No One Really Wants To Talk About How Broken USA Swimming Has Become" The greatest Olympian of all-time continued his push for change at USA Swimming last week as Michael Phelps released a lengthy statement criticizing the organization and proposing some initial steps to start moving forward. Phelps, who, along with Ryan Lochte and Rowdy Gaines, was critical of the U.S. performance and USA Swimming's lack of direction as a whole during the 2025 World Championships, made an official statement on Instagram last week going deep into the systemic problems at USA Swimming, the culture of silence, and how during his time competing, he often felt his voice went unheard. Phelps said his criticism isn't directed at the athletes, but the leadership. "I’ve asked myself what’s changed in our sport and the answer is clear…this isn’t on the athletes as they continue to do the best they can with what they’ve been given," he said. "This is on the leadership of USA Swimming. Poor leadership trickles down and can impact an organization at every level. "I spent most of my life inside of a system that is supposed to support athletes. I gave it my everything, but I often felt that my voice went unheard. I was told to be grateful for the chance to compete and that it was more important to stay quiet and to keep the peace." Phelps said that he sent a letter that was signed by many prominent members of the swimming community to USA Swimming earlier this year, but said "that letter seemed to fall on deaf ears." "No one really wants to talk about how broken USA Swimming has become," he said. Phelps proposed three next steps for USA Swimming and its Board of Directors: - Commission a 360* independent review of USA Swimming’s Board of Directors and its organization as a whole. Provide complete transparency in this process.
- Streamline athlete services and develop a proactive, athlete-first way to support athletes competing in the sport. While USA Swimming and the USOPC provide some athlete resources, there needs to be a better way to work directly with athletes to implement what’s available to them.
- Focus on strengthening the grassroots level of the sport, reversing its pandemic membership decline while developing new ways to foster additional growth.
You can read Phelps' full statement here. USA Swimming is coming up on one year of operating without a full-time CEO, with Tim Hinchey resigning on August 29, 2024. It's been almost six months since his would-be replacement, Chrissi Rawak, resigned shortly after accepting the CEO position, after it leaked that she was the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Ledecky, Walsh Headline 2025 Golden Goggle Award Nominees USA Swimming released the official ballot for the 2025 Golden Goggle Awards on Monday, with the ceremony scheduled for September 27 at the Denver Art Museum in Denver. The number of awards has been cut down compared to previous years, with Breakout Performer of the Year, the Perseverance Award, and Female and Male Race of the Year no longer being handed out. Female and Male Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Fran Crippen Open Water Athlete of the Year and Relay Performance of the Year are the awards still on the docket. See the full list of nominees below: Female Athlete of the Year Nominees: - Katharine Berkoff
- Kate Douglass
- Katie Ledecky
- Gretchen Walsh
Male Athlete of the Year Nominees: - Jack Alexy
- Shaine Casas
- Luke Hobson
- Luca Urlando
Coach of the Year Nominees: - Bob Bowman
- Todd DeSorbo
- Anthony Nesty
Fran Crippen Open Water Athlete of the Year Nominees: - Mariah Denigan
- Dylan Gravley
- Brinkleigh Hansen
- Ivan Puskovitch
Relay Performance of the Year Nominees: - Mixed 4×100 m Freestyle Relay – World Record
- Women’s 4×100 m Medley Relay – World Record
Fans can cast their ballots online through August 22nd at 11:59 MT. Check out SwimSwam's official ballot here. USA Swimming Proposes Adding Stroke 50 NAG Records For 15-16, 17-18s USA Swimming has released its proposed amendments to the 2025 Rules & Regulations that will be voted upon at the 2025 Annual Business Meeting, which will be held from September 24-27 in Denver. Highlighting the proposal is the addition of official National Age Group Records in the 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke and 50 butterfly for the 15-16 and 17-18 age groups. NAG records in the stroke 50s have historically only been recognized for 12 & under swimmers in the U.S., but that changed last year when USA Swimming added 13-14 records for the 50s. After it was announced earlier this year that the Olympics would be adding the stroke 50s to its event schedule in 2028, the events have gradually been elevated in selection procedure priorities for major countries, so USA Swimming adding NAGs in the 50s for 15-16s and 17-18s is a natural next step. Check out who would hold the NAG records in the 15-16 and 17-18 age groups here. Read more on the rule change proposals here. 2025 World Junior Championships Kick Off In Otopeni The 2025 World Junior Swimming Championships got underway on Tuesday morning in Otopeni, Romania, with the competition set to run for six days through Sunday, August 24. Daily prelims will be taking place at 9:30 am local time in Romania, which converts to 2:30 am Eastern, and finals will take place at 6:00 pm local and 11:00 am ET. Find all the links you need to follow below: QUICK HITS
By Gold Medal Mel Stewart on SwimSwam These opinions are my own, not on behalf of SwimSwam, its staff, or its partners. I write as someone who swam year-round from 1972 to 1996... Read the full story on SwimSwam: Michael Phelps’ Letter And The Story USA Swimming Didn’t Tell You
By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam Michael Phelps has released a lengthy public statement criticizing USA Swimming's leadership, and is calling for major organizational changes. Read the full story on SwimSwam: Phelps Pushes Back On USA Swimming, Releases Statement Despite Being Told To “Stay Quiet”
By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam SwimSwam has compiled all the essential links you'll need for the 2025 World Junior Championships. (Pictured: Audrey Derivaux) Read the full story on SwimSwam: All The Links You Need For The 2025 World Junior Championships
By Braden Keith on SwimSwam Most of the proposed rules changes are minor, but one could shift the makeup of USA Swimming meet schedules for high school aged swimmers. Read the full story on SwimSwam: USA Swimming 2025 Rule Change Proposals Including Adding Stroke 50 Records for 15-18 Age Group
By Braden Keith on SwimSwam 2012 U.S. Olympian Andrew Gemmell is among the candidates for the open athlete representative spot on the USA Swimming Board of Directors. Read the full story on SwimSwam: 10 Candidates Will Vie for 4 Open Seats on USA Swimming Board of Directors
By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam Mary T. Meagher, now racing as Mary Plant, has shattered the masters world record in the women's 60-64 200 LCM butterfly. Read the full story on SwimSwam: Mary T. Meagher Sets Masters World Record In 60-64 200 Butterfly
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These opinions are my own, not on behalf of SwimSwam, its staff, or its partners. I write as someone who swam year-round from 1972 to 1996...
Michael Phelps has released a lengthy public statement criticizing USA Swimming's leadership, and is calling for major organizational changes.
SwimSwam has compiled all the essential links you'll need for the 2025 World Junior Championships. (Pictured: Audrey Derivaux)
Most of the proposed rules changes are minor, but one could shift the makeup of USA Swimming meet schedules for high school aged swimmers.
2012 U.S. Olympian Andrew Gemmell is among the candidates for the open athlete representative spot on the USA Swimming Board of Directors.
Mary T. Meagher, now racing as Mary Plant, has shattered the masters world record in the women's 60-64 200 LCM butterfly.
