A Turn for Worst for USC’s Quance

It was just the kind of thing U.S. Swimming didn’t need on the first day of its most prestigious event. USC’s Kristine Quance, one of the nation’s best hopes for an Olympic swimming medal, was disqualified from the 400-meter individual medley Wednesday for a minor technical violation of a confusing and vague rule and will not get the opportunity to swim in her best event in Atlanta.

Quance was far in front of the pack in her preliminary heat when she made a technical error in her transition from backstroke to breaststroke. She ended up with the best time in the event--and there was little reason to think she gained any significant advantage from the infraction--but a turn judge disqualified her and buried the U.S. Olympic trials in another layer of unwanted controversy.

It didn’t take long for the incident to raise unpleasant questions about the selective enforcement of U.S. Swimming regulations. U.S. Swimming has been under fire since its board of directors voted to rescind a two-year ban levied against Jessica Foschi, 15, for testing positive for steroids at the Summer Nationals in Pasadena.

Now, the sport’s governing body is left to explain why Quance is not entitled to appeal a ruling that wipes away four years of training and preparation, even though the infraction apparently was unintentional and even may have had a negative impact on her time in the race.

“I don’t think they are comparable situations,” said Ray Essick, USS executive director. “One was a legal situation, and this is a technical rule. It’s not an uncommon infraction at all. That’s why they have turn judges.”

Quance seemed stunned and--at times--appeared to be holding back tears during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. USC Coach Mark Schubert, who will be one of the Olympic coaches, was just as emotional, though it was anger that he was trying to hold back.

“I don’t think what I think is a hairline judgment would ever have been made during a world championship or the Olympic Games,” he said. “I think it’s unfortunate.”

Schubert first sidestepped a question about the Foschi controversy, but couldn’t hold back when he was pressed on the relative fairness of U.S. Swimming’s flip-flop on Foschi’s two-year ban and the one-strike-and-you’re-out nature of Quance’s technical disqualification.

“One thing I’ve always been proud of about U.S. Swimming is that we follow the rules--except for the last four months,” Schubert said, “so it’s hard to criticize officials here for following the rules, but I think the board of directors should learn something about following the rules.”

Foschi has said that she never knowingly had taken steroids, and U.S. Swimming’s board, acting on evidence that she may have been the victim of sabotage, reduced the two-year ban to two years of probation. The Quance situation isn’t exactly analogous, because the disqualification was based on a technical infraction that is not in dispute, but it could not have come at a worse time for U.S. Swimming.

Quance finished her preliminary heat nearly nine seconds ahead of her closest challenger, North Baltimore Aquatic Club swimmer Whitney Metzler, who entered the final seeded second behind Allison Wagner from the University of Florida. There will be other opportunities for Quance to qualify for the Olympics this week, but the 400 IM was considered her best hope for a medal.

“Obviously, when I first heard it, I was shocked,” Quance said. “I had no idea what I could have done. . . . I kind of have mixed emotions because this is my best event. It was considered my best shot at making the Olympic team and maybe winning a gold medal. The good side is the benefits of training for the 400 IM. I have so many other opportunities. All I can do is find a way to come back from this.”

Her chances at a medal in the 400 individual medley disappeared because of Rule 101.5.3B (2).

Meet referee Bob Brown concurred with the ruling, calling Quance’s transition from backstroke to breaststroke a “clear violation,” but his opinion didn’t matter, because the meet referee does not have the power to order a reversal unless he observes the alleged infraction firsthand. A video replay is not considered firsthand observation.

“Our officials are taught to make an instantaneous decision whether a stroke is being performed according to our rules,” Brown said.

“We allowed the judge to observe the tape, without comment from anyone else, and he was asked without comment to confirm or overrule the judgment. He confirmed it.”

So Quance will have to finish in the top two in another event, and the U.S. Olympic team will be without one of the best swimmers in the world for the 400 individual medley.

“This is a very unhappy situation for all of us,” Essick said. “Nobody enjoys this.”

Swimming Notes

Allison Wagner easily won the 400-meter individual medley final in 4 minutes, 41.61 seconds to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Whitney Metzler of Glen Rock, Pa., claimed the second berth by finishing second in 4:46.28. . . . Jenny Thompson failed to make the team in the 100 freestyle, an event in which she is a former world-record holder and the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist. Amy Van Dyken of Englewood, Colo., made the Olympic team by winning in 55.27. Angel Martino, kicked off the 1988 team for an illegal drug test, was second in 55.39. Thompson was third in 55.45, and earns a berth on one of the relay teams. . . . The first spot on the men’s team went to 100 breaststroke winner Jeremy Linn of Harrisburg, Pa., who won in 1:01.94. Kurt Grote of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was second in 1:02.03. . . . Joe Hudepohl, Jon Olsen and Greg Burgess--all ’92 Olympians--were shut out in the 200 freestyle. John Piersma, a Michigan junior, won in 1:48.97. Josh Davis of San Antonio, who won the prelim, finished second in the final in 1:49.29.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE RULE # 101.5.3B (2)

Backstroke to breaststroke--The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke.

THE INFRACTION

Quance’s shoulders apparently were inches short of vertical, and the turn judge--whose name has not been released by U.S. Swimming--disqualified her. Following the race, the turn judge met with meet referee Bob Brown and reviewed videotape of the heat. He was given the opportunity to affirm or reverse the decision and chose to affirm it.

THE REACTION

“Obviously, when I first heard it, I was shocked.

I had no idea what I could have done. . . .

I kind of have mixed emotions because this is

my best event. It was considered my best shot

at making the Olympic team and maybe winning a

gold medal.”

--KRISTINE QUANCE