Australian swimmers back Olympic rivals in coronavirus lockdown with call for 'level playing field'

Australia's mixed 4x100m medley relay team celebrat gold at the 2019 World Championships
AFP via Getty Images

Australian swimmers have taken a stand of solidarity with rivals in countries locked down by the coronavirus outbreak, insisting the Tokyo Olympics should only go ahead if there is a “level playing field”.

Australia have been one of the Olympics’ most dominant forces in the pool and are expected to be so again should this summer’s event go ahead as planned.

Organisers insist that it will, but are facing mounting pressure to suspend the Games as sporting fixtures around the world, including crucial qualifying events, are called off because of the pandemic.

In a joint statement with Swimming Australia, the Australian Dolphins Swim Team said they were “still preparing for the Olympics and Paralympics to the best of our ability” but acknowledged that athletes in other countries were finding it difficult to train and called for the IOC and IPC to take appropriate action.

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The statement said: “We also want to specifically reach out to our peers and colleagues in every sport around the world, and particularly those in highly affected areas, where training and competing is impossible at the moment due to lockdowns and restrictions at training facilities and pools – we know athlete preparation is being severely compromised.

“Friendship and solidarity are important Olympic and Paralympic values and we stand with you in this time of uncertainty. We all share the dream in sport, and that is, to strive for excellence and to compete with each other.

“We hope the IOC and IPC are considering everything they can to ensure that there is a level playing field, with athletes being able to perform in healthy conditions.

“At the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic competition is the notion of fair play – a value we hold very close, and we do not want that to be compromised.”

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