Rob Koehler

Director General, Global Athlete

[StateOfSwimming.com @StateOfSwimming]

FORUM: Have chance of an Olympic athlete boycott grown? Yes. Would it be easy? No. Would it work? Yes. Why? The perfect storm is building. The question is whether Olympic sports bosses see athletes for what they are: the hand that feeds that must be fed
https://t.co/XbHogCxsHK

[StateOfSwimming.com @StateOfSwimming]

FORUM: Have chance of an Olympic athlete boycott grown? Yes. Easy? No. Would it work? Yes. Why? A perfect storm building. The question is whether Olympic sports bosses see athletes for what they are: the hand that feeds that must be fed @GlobalAthleteHQ
https://t.co/XbHogCxsHK

[Global Athlete @GlobalAthleteHQ]

3️⃣ “[Only] 0.01 per cent [of athletes] make it. You will be in debt for a long time. Nat Cook [an Australian beach volleyball player] said she was nearly $350,000 in debt after winning in Sydney [in 2000].” Leisel Jones - Australian Olympic swimmer triple gold medalist

4️⃣ “If every athlete who competes at the Olympics is paid $10k as an appearance fee, and every gold/silver/bronze earns 100k/60k/25k (including individuals on teams) then that would be around $180m - which is only 1.5 per cent of the quadrennial revenue ($12 billion) the IOC generates. For reference, the NBA has a 50 per cent revenue share with the players. You can have prize money and pay all athletes to help those who aren’t the absolute top and still be extremely comfortable with your boatloads of revenue.” Cameron McEvoy - Australian Olympic swimmer gold medalist

[Global Athlete @GlobalAthleteHQ]

Just a few noteworthy messages from athletes…

1️⃣ “Kirsty Coventry telling Olympians they shouldn’t be paid while the IOC generates billions is exactly why athletes are losing faith in Olympic leadership. The athletes ARE the Olympics. Not the executives. Not the politicians. Not the bureaucrats.” Roland Schoeman - South Africa swimmer

2️⃣ “Let me tell you about the night before I became Olympic champion. The night before I competed at the London 2012 Games, I went overdrawn on my bank account.” Greg Rutherford - Britain’s long jump champion

[Rob Koehler @RobKoehler2]

All of this is happening while the Future of Sport in Canada Commission's report gathers dust on a shelf.

Athletes spoke. The Commission listened. The recommendations are there.

The question is: who will act?

[Declan Hill @declan_hill]

Words Don't Stop Bullets: Why Cricket Canada Needs Police Action
Violent extortion, threats, houses sprayed with bullets and alleged match-fixing at the T20 World Cup of Cricket linked to sports gambling.
https://t.co/ve7TyNgCJs

[Declan Hill @declan_hill]

Words Don't Stop Bullets: Why Cricket Canada Needs Police Action
Violent extortion, threats, houses sprayed with bullets and alleged match-fixing at the T20 World Cup of Cricket linked to sports gambling.
https://t.co/ve7TyNgCJs

[Declan Hill @declan_hill]

On Canadian television to talk about the International Cricket Council suspending Cricket Canada.
My take?
Words don't stop bullets.
Bits of paper don't stop gangsters from killing people.
What Canadian cricket is facing is not a “sports crime”. It is not doping or cheating but an alleged, systemic campaign of criminal extortion committed by violent thugs.
This is about violent extortion, threats, houses sprayed with bullets and alleged match-fixing at the World Cup of Cricket linked to sports gambling.
More at: https://t.co/NKK6EGkrub or
https://t.co/Zl5zNsmw8G

[Rob Koehler @RobKoehler2]

The @IOCmedia is:
• Trying to regain control of anti-doping with their proxy @IntTestAgency – not independent – they are a service provider
• Severely restricting the right to peaceful freedom expression- @heraskevych
• Restricting athlete NIL opportunities through rule 40 2/2

[Rob Koehler @RobKoehler2]

"Coventry is in danger of creating an image for herself that she will never shake off." — @duncanjourno
The @Olympics are moving in the wrong direction.
The IOC refuses to:
• Compensate athletes
• Address FSB involvement in Russian sport
• Address the China doping scandal
1/2

[Duncan Mackay @duncanjourno]

The interview @iocmedia President Kirsty Coventry gave where she announced she doesn't believe athletes should be financially compensated for competing in the @Olympics lit the blue touch paper on a debate that has been steadily moving up the agenda, and which her comments have now pushed near the top. It all added to an image the public is forming of Coventry, that is not altogether positive. My latest #ZeusFiles at https://t.co/udVHsDzSdq

@sebcoe @Rolandschoeman @heraskevych @M4ttRichards @sallypearson @AlexChapmanNZ

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

The IOC has income of at least $7.7 billion in a 4-year cycle. It can afford to pay athletes. They are the show. It could also pay volunteers. Estimates suggest IOC saves up to $100 million in Summer Olympics using unpaid labor. Moral issue.

[Duncan Mackay @duncanjourno]

The interview @iocmedia President Kirsty Coventry gave where she announced she doesn't believe athletes should be financially compensated for competing in the @Olympics lit the blue touch paper on a debate that has been steadily moving up the agenda, and which her comments have now pushed near the top. It all added to an image the public is forming of Coventry, that is not altogether positive. My latest #ZeusFiles at https://t.co/udVHsDzSdq

@sebcoe @Rolandschoeman @heraskevych @M4ttRichards @sallypearson @AlexChapmanNZ

[Margarita Simonyan @M_Simonyan]

Украинская теннисистка Александра Олейникова потребовала санкций против нашей Дианы Шнайдер, потому что та ставила лайки под моими постами в соцсетях.

Затем был матч, в котором Диана вынесла Олейникову в двух сетах в одну калитку.

Диана, спасибо за лайки. Я Вас тоже.

[Stephen Wade @StephenWadeAP]

IOC head Kirsty Coventry says the other day: “I don’t believe in paying athletes.” Why? Athletes are the show. IOC generates billions from athletes’ labor. Sponsors make money. So does TV, the IOC. Why not pay athletes directly? 70% go to only one Olympics. Their lone chance.

[Rob Koehler @RobKoehler2]

Very wise!

[StateOfSwimming.com @StateOfSwimming]

Olympians Reject “Pointless” Offer To Meet Swim England Chair As Resignation Calls Grow Louder https://t.co/t48irOIhtW

[StateOfSwimming.com @StateOfSwimming]

Olympians Reject “Pointless” Offer To Meet Swim England Chair As Resignation Calls Grow Louder https://t.co/t48irOIhtW

[Vladyslav Heraskevych OLY @heraskevych]

It is so painful to see Ukrainian female athletes in such a terrible situation, where they have to watch Russian symbols and listen to the Russian anthem, while at the same time their friends and relatives are dying at the hands of the army that fights under those very same Russian symbols.

It is a shame that for the leadership of the International Gymnastics Federation, particularly for its president Watanabe, personal interest is more important than basic humanity.

[Tracey Holmes @TraceyLeeHolmes]

A big conversation is needed.
There is a risk the Olympics will be the domain of the richest athletes, rather than the best athletes, if something isn't done about the question of prizemoney.
#Olympics #prizemoney #athletesrights

[Alex Chapman @AlexChapmanNZ]

Kirsty Coventry has reacted to her comments in an interview with us on @SportNationNZ

[Roland Schoeman @Rolandschoeman]

@LisaMar72358047 She’s an absolute disgrace.

[Limar @LisaMar72358047]

Very well said, Roland.
Just another gloabilist parasite