Legend Michael Phelps criticizes US swimming for being 'too much of a failure'

Michael Phelps continues to harshly criticize American swimming after a series of poor results recently.

Michael Phelps has frequently expressed dissatisfaction with American swimming recently - Photo: REUTERS

Legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps posted a lengthy Instagram post targeting the USA Swimming leadership and expressing his hesitation in letting his sons pursue a career in diving.

The 23-time Olympic gold medalist criticized the weakness of USA Swimming's leadership and called for sweeping reforms after years of decline for the organization: "I have seen too many teammates struggle to compete in a sport they love without the support they need."

He also pointed out that USA Swimming is struggling to regain its pre-pandemic membership numbers.

Phelps said his frustration stemmed from his playing career, saying he often felt his voice was not heard and that it was more important to keep quiet to maintain the peace.

"First of all, I have the utmost respect for the American swimmers who competed at the World Championships. My criticism is not directed at them - I know how hard they work and how honored they are to represent their country.

“I am addressing the leadership who made things worse. There have been loopholes in the system for the past 9 years and they are becoming more and more apparent,” he wrote on Instagram.

Phelps compared the US swimming team's success at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where they won 33 medals, to their performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, when they won just 28. Last year they had their lowest medal tally since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

He pointed out that in Rio, the US team won 57% of possible medals, while in Paris the figure was only 44%, the lowest rate since the 1988 Olympics.

Phelps' criticism came after he and former teammate Ryan Lochte expressed their disappointment with the U.S. team's performance at the World Championships by posting a meme on Instagram. Lochte posted an image of a mock funeral for USA Swimming.

American swimming is going through a difficult period when facing the rise of many other countries - Photo: REUTERS

Phelps is not the only American swimmer to criticize the organization recently. Swimming commentator and legend Rowdy Gaines has also made public criticism.

In response to the criticism, USA Swimming CEO Bob Vincent stated: “We respect and appreciate the opinions of Rowdy, Michael, Ryan and all the former members of USA Swimming. We acknowledge that their comments come from a place of passion and a genuine desire to see us succeed.”

However, he also expressed sadness and disappointment at the timing of the comments, saying it had added pressure to athletes and coaches already dealing with the health crisis in Singapore.

Legend Michael Phelps has proposed a number of solutions, including increasing support for young swimmers and prioritizing the needs of elite swimmers over those of coaches.

THANH DINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/huyen-thoai-michael-phelps-chi-trich-boi-loi-my-dang-qua-that-bai-20250814215420996.htm