PHOENIX, Ariz. — This was supposed to be the year Dagny Knutson became a household name by thrashing the competition in the pool in Rio de Janeiro.In 2010, Knutson was widely considered the next breakout American swimming star. At the urging of USA Swimming officials, she said, Knutson turned down a college scholarship and entrusted her career to the Olympic national governing body for the sport.And then it all went awry.In six years, Knutson has gone from odds-on Olympic star to cautionary tale through a series of twists and turns including a fired coach, an eating disorder and an unresolved fraud lawsuit against an Olympic sports insider who Knutson claims betrayed her to maintain friendships with USA Swimming officials.Knutson’s story, according to her and her lawyers, evinces the massive power imbalance in Olympic sports, where management enjoys monopoly control and athletes have little leverage.“As athletes, we have to trust USA Swimming has our best interests at heart. And when they take advantage of that, we can’t do anything about it . . . Because they have all the power,” Knutson said. “I can’t think of any other explanation for why they did what they did, other than they don’t care.” READ MORE……
PHOENIX, Ariz. — This was supposed to be the year Dagny Knutson became a household name by thrashing the competition in the pool in Rio de Janeiro.In 2010, Knutson was widely considered the next breakout American swimming star. At the urging of USA Swimming officials, she said, Knutson turned down a college scholarship and entrusted her career to the Olympic national governing body for the sport.And then it all went awry.In six years, Knutson has gone from odds-on Olympic star to cautionary tale through a series of twists and turns including a fired coach, an eating disorder and an unresolved fraud lawsuit against an Olympic sports insider who Knutson claims betrayed her to maintain friendships with USA Swimming officials.Knutson’s story, according to her and her lawyers, evinces the massive power imbalance in Olympic sports, where management enjoys monopoly control and athletes have little leverage.“As athletes, we have to trust USA Swimming has our best interests at heart. And when they take advantage of that, we can’t do anything about it . . . Because they have all the power,” Knutson said. “I can’t think of any other explanation for why they did what they did, other than they don’t care.” READ MORE……
