Thursday 21 July 2011

Cesar Cielo Cleared to Race in Shanghai - Swimmer's Reactions

According to Swimming World, Cesar Cielo has been cleared to swim in Shanghai. Without inside knowledge of the case, I won't sit here and say whether this decision is right or wrong. Naively or not, I'll put my faith in the court of arbitration chaired by three guys from Australia, Switzerland and USA.

There has already been an immediate reaction from the swimming world:





(Translation: Cesar Cielo hasn't been banned. That can't be!!)


(Translation: And what does FINA do... doesn't suspend athletes who test positive.... #notthelife)



13 comments:

  1. This decision sucks. A suspension may have been harsh but it would have been fair. Super-strict rules at least go some way to removing any doubt - Jessica Hardy had to learn that lesson so why not Cielo?

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  2. Well, I can't buy Cielo's explanation for the positive test. The pharmacist denies it, and it doesn't actually make much sense.

    Everyone who tests positive cooks up something like that since obviously, they don't want to be suspended, so when do we actually say 'Yes, the tests were right and the athlete doped'?

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  3. I think FINA should suspend him at least for 3 months like ICC done to Upul Tharanga after he was positive for drugs after the Cricket world cup even he got positive because of the medicine he took for his injured solder.

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  4. Was FINA's appeal an appeal against the verdict that the drug-taking was unintentional? Or was it just an appeal against the sanctions imposed?

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  5. So apparently twitter works in China.

    Somewhat of an unexpected ruling, let's see how it affects him in the pool.

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  6. Cielo is certainly an athlete that is driven by his emotional energy (just look at his chest slapping routine before he races... and tears after). There is no way this incident doesn't have an effect on him. Judging by the reaction from his fellow swimmers he won't be the most popular guy on deck either.

    My theory is that he still wins the 100 Free, a) because he is the best in the world currently at that event, and b) he will want to prove a point to his critics.

    However, I don't see him winning the 50 Free. That race comes at the end of what will be a very long, gruelling week for the Brazilian. I think Bousquet will use this chink in Cielo's mental armour to finally beat him on the big stage.

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  7. I guess there will be quite a few dirty looks on the blocks at the start of men's 50/100 semis/finals.

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  8. To be a fly on the wall of that pre-race call room....

    Schoeman, Bernard and Sullivan have all publicly voiced their opposition to the decision.

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  9. Cielo has been to confession & emerged completely cleansed of the sin of others.

    He is innocent & pure & those Matin Lutherish Diedlers & Shoemanns are just up to their usual tricks.

    Next we will have Queen Elizabeth beheading poor old Phillip & marrying a feisty boy from Shropshire. Then his head will be off & then a boy from Nottinghamshire.

    Can she get another 5 in at 85 years of age?

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  10. twitter/facebook/blogspot..etc arent that hard to access in China. I'm working here this summer, and I got them working pretty soon after arriving. Its just that when high profile athletes do it, its a blatant violation of their firewall.

    I think Cielo's most important race of the week will be the his first one. It'll be a true test of where he stands mentally. If he does not win the 50fly, I can't see him winning the 100m free (his least favored event). Either way, I dont think I can see him losing more than one race this week. If he does, I think he's going to be very damaged even for London, which would be kind of sad to see.

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  11. Cielo's first race will be 4x100 free prelims, if They swim him, or 4x100 free finals, if Brazil qualify.

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  12. 4x100 free is in the first day, sunday

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  13. aswimfan,
    Cielo will not swim 4x100 prelims, Marcos Macedo will do.Cielo first event is 50 fly prelims.

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