Could – or should – sports administrators do more to protect their athletes from a media frenzy? | JordsBaker commonwealthgames
Emma McKeon is an unlikely temptress. She does not wear diamonds, like Elizabeth Taylor, or a vial of blood like Angelina Jolie. She wears Speedos, goggles and Eau de Chlorine, and has spent much of her life doing laps of suburban pools. Her hard work and personal sacrifice have made her one of the best swimmers in the world.
A biennial obsession with swimming, at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, is a particularly Australian peccadillo. Perhaps it’s that swimming is the country’s gold mine, and shows the world that the little nation down under, with its chronic cultural cringe, can punch above its weight.
But the world has changed. The magazine industry has collapsed. There are more media outlets in Australia, competing more vigorously for juicy detail. Social media has come with both risk and reward. Athletes no longer need traditional media, and can broadcast their own narrative. But they don’t have as much oversight, either. An impetuous post, or a critical backlash, can be emotionally and reputationally damaging.
Some said Chalmers was pouring fuel on the story by talking about it. Another former swimmer, Libby Trickett, congratulated him for being able to articulate his feelings. But the young swimmer’s father was critical of Swimming Australia for allowing his son to be grilled at a press conference. It’s easy to forget that most of the time, there’s nothing glamorous about swimming. It’s hours of training and minute focus on tumble turns and strokes and kicks, for which athletes sacrifice everything their peers enjoy, such as social lives and jobs that reward long hours with decent pay. It’s not surprising that swimmers date swimmers. It would be difficult for anyone else to understand the monastic relentlessness of their life choice.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Dads can experience postnatal depression too. Here's how to get help onlineThere's no doubt having a baby is a life-changing event and while it's well known many mothers struggle with depression or anxiety, so can fathers.
Read more »
His arm was bitten off by a bear ... but it’s sharks this Paralympian fearsHis arm was bitten off by a bear ... but it’s sharks this Paralympian fears | Andrew Webster
Read more »
The Antony Gormley ‘phallic’ sculpture row is an attack on modern art – and geometry | Jonathan JonesThe artist says it’s legs bent at the knee. A student says it’s a giant penis. So who’s right? It doesn’t matter. This is abstract art – and it shouldn’t be condemned because of one interpretation out of many
Read more »
Sharks hold off Dragons to climb to third on ladderThe Sharks climbed to third spot on the ladder with a 24-18 win in the local derby against the Dragons at PointsBet Stadium on Saturday night.
Read more »
What might a Pope Francis retirement mean for the Catholic church?Pontiff’s remarks after testing trip raise prospect of papal transition and more institutional changes
Read more »
Quiet quitting: why doing the bare minimum at work has gone globalThe meaninglessness of modern work – and the pandemic – has led many to question their approach to their jobs
Read more »