ATHENS - Great Britain were dealt a major blow when James Goddard was controversially stripped of his bronze medal after Aaron Peirsol of the US was reinstated as the winner of the men’s 200m backstroke final at the Olympics on Thursday.
Goddard was a disappointing fourth place after relinquishing his early lead but was moved up to bronze medal position when the first-place finisher Aaron Peirsol was initially disqualified for a faulty third turn.
Markus Rogan (Austria) was awarded the gold medal and Razvan Florea (Romania) the silver.
But following an appeal by the US team, Peirsol, the world record holder, was later confirmed as the Olympic Champion and the Stockport swimmer was demoted to fourth. Edinburgh’s Gregor Tait was seventh in a disappointing 1:59.28.
In response to the bizarre series of events, FINA, the sport’s world governing body issued a statement saying: “The disqualification of the swimmer in lane four, Aaron Peirsol, was not accepted due to the reason of the details given by the official being inadequate and not in the working language of FINA.”
Unsatisfied with the result, Team GB lodged an appeal with FINA against Peirsol’s reinstatement.
Bill Sweetenham, Britain’s National Performance Director, said: “I’m extremely disappointed it was overturned on a technicality when an infringement was obvious. To have an infringement overturned because of incompetence is nonsensical.”
Following the victory ceremony, Peirsol said: “I feel bad for James [Goddard] for being put through this emotional roller coaster. It’s a weird way to win. Hopefully he’ll get another chance.”
World Champion Katy Sexton scraped through to the final of the 200m backstroke in eighth position after a sluggish swim. She faced the most anxious wait of her swimming career to see if she if she would figure in the final.
'I was fourth there so I’m really hoping these girls will go slower,' she said as the second semi-final got underway. 'I know I can do it. I'm having trouble getting my mind in focus.'
Swimming in his third and final Olympics, James Hickman was slightly slower than his heat swim in the 100m butterfly semis and will not figure in Friday’s final.
Hickman clocked 53.10 to finish 15th overall. He has one more race remaining and will line up for Britain tomorrow in the men’s 4x100m medley team heats.
“I’m disappointed because it wasn’t as fast as this morning. I’m happy to be here and I’m really enjoying my swimming this year.
“I’m going to put everything into the medley really tomorrow because we have a really good team and I think we can do well.”
The Manchester swimmer also announced he would retire in December, bringing an end to an illustrious 11-year international career that has seen him win an unprecedented four consecutive World Short Course titles and set numerous World, European and Commonwealth records.
”At the end of the year I’ll retire. I’ve had a good year,” he said.
” I want to go out on a high at the World Short Course championships in October and the European Short Course Championships in December. After that, I’ll finally hang up my trunks.”
-ENDS-
■ The 2004 Olympic Games take place in Athens, Greece, between August 13 and 29. Swimming runs from August 14 to 21.
For further details contact Martin Petty, British Swimming Communications Officer in the UK on 01509 632237, 07968 411689 or email martin.petty@swimming.org
Or contact Dave Richards, Team GB Swimming Press Attaché in Athens, on +44 77899 26136 or email david.richards@swimming.org
