Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics of 2008

We were all no doubt inspired by the spectacular achievements by swimmer Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics of 2008. And no one can deny the astounding physical feats of the athlete , who was aslo ably abetted by his teammates in the team relay events. In total , Phelps won eight gold medals in Beijing. And when one bears in mind that he also won 6 previously, at the Athens (Summer) Olympics of 2004 . His tally of fourteen gold medals cannot be overlooked. And the fact that it also made him the most successful Olympian ever , adds to his mystique and esteem.

Michael Phelps competing in the men's 200m individual medley at the Beijing Olympics (2008). It was one eight gold medals won by the athlete in the aquatic events at the games.

And throughout much of NBC’s coverage of the Summer Olympics in Beijing. We were force fed every bit of jingoism and alleged patriotism that they could possibly squeeze out of the apparent story. No rock was left unturned by the network during the coverage. And in the end I’ve got to admit that the I began to get bored with the whole notion that the world evolved solely around this one American athlete in Beijing. Very little was made , if any , as to one of Phelps’ own teammates, Eric Shanteau . The swimmer, having been diagnosed with testicular cancer , chose to put off immediate treatment in the form of chemotherapy, in order to compete in Beijing. Whilst there Shanteau was closely monitored by the US Olympic swim team’s medical staff and his own personal physician who was on-hand to monitor his patient.

Usain Bolt crosses the finish line in a world and Olympic record time of 9.69 in the men's 100m finals at the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing , China.

It’d appear that a story that was emotionally rich as that of Shanteau’s , bearly warranted mentioning. And for NBC one would’ve thought that , was all too big a story to overlook to begin with. But somehow it warranted merely nothing more than a menial sound byte in the end. It was all about Phelps , his heroics and that of the female gymnasts competing. And oh, less we forget the The Redeem Team as they were being called, the members of the US men’s basketball team. It’d be remiss also to forget their female counterparts, who like the men were made up completely of professionals from their respective professional leagues.

Eric Shanteau competing in the men's 200m breastroke prelimimnaries in Beijing , China.

And while no doubts the achievements of Phelps there were other extraordinary accomplishments made in Bejiing. They may not have warranted the attention that was given to Phelps. But inexplicably it all became about the swimmer’s achievements. In comparison , however who can forget the explosive feats of Jamaican sprinter , Usain Bolt ? The track and field star obliterated the record books and rewrote Olympic history on track. His feat in breaking the world and Olympic records in the men’s 100m and 200m , to go alongside that of the sprint relay in the 4×100m , was enough of a message to have been heard around the world like a thunderous boom. Those feats in of themselves were enough to spotlight some of the lesser known competitors and that of their nations.

A triumphant Phelps alongside his teammates celebrate their victory in the men's 4x100 medley relay finals in Beijing .

And now as we come full circle whereby Phelps and his fellow competitors are competing at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Rome, Italy. The eyes of the world are once again are said to be on Michael Phelps. It was hoped that the swimmer would be able to triumph once again over his foes. Many of whom , he’d defeated in Beijing , would also be competing in Rome, also. That being said in light of the controversy that has taken place concerning the swimsuits worn by the racers there at the event. We knew it would be too good to be true . If Phelps , himself, wasn’t somehow involved or became a part of the unfolding debacle that has thus far surrounded the event.

A stunned Phelps looks up in disbelief after finishing second in the men's 200m freesytle finals at the World Championships in Rome.

FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) , the international governing body of the sport recently had introduced rules and regulations that would ban the polyuerathane suits now being worn by the competitors. It is their wish that all competitive suits for future FINA sanctioned events will be made of natural textile. However, the ban itself will not take effect until 2010. In partcular the suits that were being headlighted , were the LZR suit made by Speedo . And that of the Arena X glide suit. Pandora’s box was initially opened up by FINA. Given the fact that they saw fit not have any rules in place concerning the suits. In the past eighteen months 125 world records have been broken in differing disciplines in the pool. Let’s just say that the suits are swimming’s answer to the steroid problem we now see engulfing the sports of baseball and that of cycling . But without the competitiors having to subject themselves to mercilessly having to inject themselves with an illecit substance.

Phelps and his coach seated to his left , Bob Bowman in Beijing , China during the Olympics. .

At the world championships in Rome thus far , over a dozen world records have succumbed to the competitors at the event.And in spite of this all , nothing would prepare those of us who took interest in one Phelps’ best event. That of the men’s 200m freestyle, an event in which Phelps previously had held the world record. In the finals, however , the unthinkable would happen. As Phelps was defeated by the German swimmer Paul Biedermann who shattered Phelps’ own world record , in a time of 1m 42.00 secs , bettering the previous record by 96/100ths of a second. However. the actions of Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman smacked of that, of an infantile schoolchild who’d been scolded, having been caught doing something wrong. Bowman was contemptuous of the victor, stating …..’ that his use of a polyuerathane suit that gave Biedermann an unacceptable advantage’. Bearing mind that Phelps also wore a suit similar in design but without the same buoyancy as that of Biedermann’s. Mindful of this , the question one must now ask . With Phelps’ own accomplishments in Beijing how is it that now Bowman should be angered at his pupil’s defeat ? Was this not the same individual , himself who also wore a LZR suit to victory in Beijing , China ? It somehow appears that Bowman can mete out punishment via his pupil. But is somehow is not quite as gracious in defeat. He then suggested that he’d withdraw Phelps from all other events he’d entered Foro di Italia venue in Rome, were the controversy not sorted out concerning the use of the swimsuits.

Phelps on his way to winning the men's 200m butterfly final at the World Championships in Rome. Phelps would go on to win the event in world record time.

Granted , Phelps has obtained a reprieve by then going out and shattering his own world record in the men’s 200m butterfly final in a time of 1m 51.51 seconds. They state that revenge is a dish best served cold. But I think that in the case of Bowman , his type of revenge is to berate others when his pupil doesn’t perform up to par. Or perhaps show that he’s invincible ? Much of that may have come about by the praise heaped upon Phelps’ shoulders and the very fact that soon afterwards the swimmer’s all too glaring frailties came to the fore. Bowman for his part didn’t seem to be all that mindful at the time. Moreover, he too may well have been caught up in the allure and attention that both he and Phelps were said to be getting.