IRISH swimmer Michelle Smith may not be allowed to compete in the Olympics in her favoured event, the 400 metre freestyle, in which she recently recorded the fastest time in the world in the past four years. The problem arises from the timing of the submission of entry forms and the notification of qualifying times.
Irish Olympic officials Mr Bobby Madine and Mr Shay McDonald met the world swimming body, FINA, in Atlanta yesterday to try to resolve the problem. A final decision will be made this morning on which events Smith will be allowed to compete in.
For Mr Madine, the matter is also personal, as his daughter Marion's schedule is also affected.
Smith, the European champion last year in two events, had originally decided to enter four competitions in Atlanta. Following her European success last year, she opted originally for the 100 and 200 metre butterfly events and the 200 and 400 metre individual medley events.
However, on July 7th in Florida, swimming her first 400 metre freestyle in 12 years, she shattered the Irish record by 12 seconds and recorded the world's fastest time for four years.
Immediately after that race, she contacted the Irish Amateur Swimming Association by fax and asked that her Olympic schedule be altered to accommodate the 400 metre freestyle in Atlanta. The IASA says it received the fax on July 8th.
Smith then decided to drop the 100 metre butterfly from her schedule, thus enabling Belfast's Marion Madine to compete in that event.
The IASA gathered the necessary documentation, including verification of Smith's Florida time, the confirmation of world freestyle rankings and Smith's faxed request. They were passed to the Olympic Council of Ireland on July 9th.
The closing date for entries for Olympic swimming was noon last Monday, July 15th. However, the closing date for qualifying times was 10 days earlier, according to FINA, the world swimming body.
The official swimming entry lists, made public yesterday and dated 1 p.m. on July 15th, do not include Smith in the 400 metre freestyle. She is still entered in the 100 metre butterfly which she intended to drop.
If that situation remains after this morning's meeting between OCI officials and the swimming authorities, Madine will not swim in the 100 metre butterfly and Smith will miss the chance of a gold medal in what is perhaps now her strongest event.
The confusion surrounding the swimmer's Olympic schedule is likely to be detrimental to her preparations for competition.
Last night, Olympic Council officials were refusing to comment. Swimming sources were adamant, however, that the blame for the mess should rest with the OCI.