On the heels of Australian Olympic team’s Opening Ceremony uniform designs being released, the nation’s swim team has announced a self-imposed ban from participating in the Opening Ceremony in Rio. Marking the first time the swim team has issued a squad-wide rule, Head Coach Jacco Verhaeren says the collective decision was made after the World Championships in Kazan last summer.
Rio’s Opening Ceremony is slated for Friday, August 5th, with the first day of the swimming events taking place the very next day, Saturday, August 6th. Per the complete schedule released last December, the men’s and women’s 400m IM, women’s 100m butterfly, men’s 400m freestyle, men’s 100m breaststroke, as well as the women’s 400m freestyle relay are set to be contested on the that Saturday.
In previous editions of the Olympic Games, athletes not racing until later on in the swimming competition had the option of whether to participate or not in the opening day’s celebrations. However, this time around, the Aussies are solidifying the stance as a team.
“It was a decision we made following on from our World Championship campaign in Kazan last year that we will do everything as a team,” Verhaeren told The Gold Coast Bulletin.
“We made the decision that we won’t be marching in the Opening Ceremony in Rio whether the athletes are swimming on day one or day eight – we are doing this as a team as well. The swimming competition starts the next day and given the change in timing with the late night finals it will be important for everyone to be in their routine from day one.”
Swimming’s finals sessions start at a considerably late time in the evening – 10pm local – in order to accommodate American TV broadcasters. In fact, the Australian Olympic Committee initially vocally came out against the timing, only to reverse course and instead offer support just a few weeks later.
“We will be marching in the Closing Ceremony as a team and we will be doing other activities along the way as a team. I believe it is important that we stay together as one team,” continued Verhaeren.
As far as how this self-imposed ban falls in line with the overall Australian Olympic picture, team Chef de Mission, Kitty Chiller, reportedly supports the decision.
“We have left it in the hands of the leaders of the respective sections to be able to decide whether they march or not in consultation and discussion with the athletes.”
Chiller continued, “It is not just to be decided by the team leaders in isolation. Swimming is the first sport to (pull out) … But I don’t know the last time a swimmer has marched to be honest. It’s hard when half the team is able to march and half the team is not.”
“It’s something a lot of athletes love to march in it but at the end of the day they are there to compete.”
For those non-swimming athletes who are walking in the Opening Ceremony for Australia, they’ll be outfitted in lifestyle brand Sportscraft-designed uniforms. For the 7th time in the company’s history, the Australian brand is serving as the official supplier of Australia’s ‘Opening Ceremony and Formal Uniforms.’
Per the photo, the athletes will be donning green seersucker blazers, complete with Australian Olympic coat of arms buttons. The lining of the jackets are truly unique in that they are emblazoned with each Australian past gold medalist’s name. Women will be wearing a silk scarf, while men are outfitted with a gold knitted tie.
The goal of the design was to present the Australian Olympic Team in a ‘look that represents the Australian lifestyle, and is also fitting for the climate and the festive spirit of the host city Rio. ‘
Maybe the finals should have been on earlier………
Attendance should be required of all athletes. Then everyone has the same disadvantage.
What a shame to miss the opening ceremony of an Olympics you are competing in. What has the sport come to?
This has been common practice for at least 50 years for a number of teams in a wide cross-section of sports whose competition is in the first week of a Games. Methinks its you who is labouring under some misapprehension of the realities of an Olympics.
Tough call to make. I think its funny that they have to do press releases to make sure everyone knows they are giving up social media and attending the opening ceremonies. Seems like they are over regulating them and this can also backfire. I’d certainly understand if a teammate wanted to attend as long as they werent in the next day AM heats even then swimming is really an individual sport?
I understand this decision – to a point. I am well acquainted with past Olympians. Some marched and some did not. Those who did not had their competitions scheduled for the next day or a couple days later.(Opening Ceremonies is a lengthy and drawn out experience taking hours of walking and standing which can tire someone out physically and emotionally.) Those who did march were scheduled at or near the end of the swimming schedule and had fully recovered. One swimmer who did march and won an Olympic gold medal, told me that the Opening Ceremonies was actually more meaningful than winning the gold medal. She said that the energy and once-in-a-lifetime experience of being there was worth it. So,… Read more »
Is the Aussie team going to ask for wheelchair assistance next so they don’t lose their tapers by having to walk through the airport? If the Aussies fail to perform this time around they can blame the culture again. Get the guitars out of retirement team USA!
It is very rare that any swimmers, irrespective of what country they are from Walking in the opening ceremony.
Hank your comments are completely inaccurate which is unfortunate. Please understand that Team USA will also be resting in the village the night of the opening ceremony.