Despite appearing on the official FINA entry lists in the men’s 100m freestyle for the 2016 Olympic Games, Polish swimmer Konrad Czerniak found himself unable to compete in yesterday’s heats of the event due to what’s being called a ‘clerical error.’
The 50m butterfly bronze medalist at the 2015 World Championships was slated to swim the men’s 100m freestyle prelims, having been entered with a time of 48.56, but he was told just minutes before racing that his federation had failed to properly register him for the race.
Without specific details yet being revealed, the error is being chalked up to ‘officials forgetting to fill out the paperwork’. Czerniak is still able to swim the men’s 100m butterfly event, a race in which he earned a silver medal at this year’s European Championships.
The 27-year-old took to Facebook to express his astonishment with the situation (rough translation with original Facebook post below).
“I have been training swimming for 20 years, I represent Poland and I have dedicated almost all of my life to compete with the best. My chance of taking part in the Olympics was snatched away from me due to an ‘oversight’, a ‘mistake’ by the Polish Swimming Federation.”
Yet drug cheats continue to rep their countries and win medals inspite of 3rd party, independent investigations..
That is unforgivable. Absolutely DISGUSTING. They have A LOT of making up to him to do. It’s the kind of thing that I can easily see a swimmer choose to swim under another flag, just to make a statement.
He still has 100 fly right?
how an athlete can be clear for one race and not another is beurocracy bullcrap red tape nonsense at it’s worst. shame on polish federation, shame on fina, shame on ioc.
Welp. RIP polish swimming. its really embarassing what they are doing
absurd