Back in the 20th century, professionals in pool swimming were strongly criticized and looked down upon. Administrators, referees and athletes who had the wrong value system

The Americans fiercely stick to their amateur roles with a vast majority believing that anyone who makes money in the sport is somehow doing something wrong or participating with the wrong value system. America is funny that way. We were most fiercely opposed to professionalism in pool swimming for decades, destroying the careers of several who earned money in the sport…until USA Swimming went completely the other way. Now, the amateur governing body (USA Swimming) spends millions promoting professional swimmers like Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. This is the same pattern across all of our sports including football, basketball and baseball. So, at some point, race directors and swimmers in America will not be tainted by the words “professional athlete or administrator” sometime in the future. Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source