Swimming: Bell in line for more scrutiny

Daniel Bell. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Swimmer Daniel Bell's Performance Enhancement Grant (PEG) from Sparc will come under scrutiny this month.

Sparc's high performance investment panel will sit down with Swimming New Zealand (SNZ) to work out how much funding the sport gets after its haul of four silver and two bronze medals at the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

The Games were seen as a key barometer to whether significant changes are made to the $1.35 million SNZ received last year as one of six targeted Olympic sports leading to London 2012.

SNZ is expected to have met most requirements for a continuation of funding but Bell's well-documented problems on the booze in Delhi - despite the sport's zero-alcohol tolerance policy - could place his individual grant in jeopardy. However, he has met most criteria for a PEG.

Sparc policy stated that swimming was to use the Commonwealth Games as a "virtual" world championships to determine eligibility for PEGs investment. The times recorded by New Zealanders in finals were to be compared against the best in the world this year (with limits to two athletes per country). Kiwi athletes who qualified in the top 16 in the ranking list would get a PEG through to next year's world championships.

Using that criteria, Bell would rank 16th in the 100m backstroke, where he won silver in Delhi. He would be in line to receive a PEG of $20,000.

But contentious nominations can be referred to a moderation panel. PEGs are awarded at the discretion of Sparc. They can be withdrawn for reasons such as retirement or testing positive for drugs but also if a recipient is involved in or carries out any action, statement, or conduct, which brings Sparc, their national sporting organisation or sport in general into disrepute.

Last week the Herald on Sunday carried details from eyewitnesses which showed that Bell had drunk far more than the "couple of beers" nominated by SNZ when the story first broke.

Sparc high performance manager Marty Toomey says they want details of SNZ's disciplinary dealings with Bell.

"We're waiting to see the final outcome as to what process they went through. I see he still swam at the short-course nationals in Mt Maunganui." Bell won the 50m backstroke at that meeting yesterday over Australia's Mitchell Dixon and Delhi team-mate Gareth Kean and followed that with an impressive win in the 200m individual medley.

"We meet with Swimming New Zealand at the end of November. We will look at how their athletes are tracking for 2012. If he [Bell] is critical to their performance, then we need to work out how they manage his behaviour.

"If he has the potential to deliver [a medal] in 2012, then we need to work out how to put controls in place."

Bell is still a likely recipient of a New Zealand Olympic Committee scholarship to the London 2012 Games, which are expected to be valued at around $20,000.

Outgoing NZOC Secretary-General Barry Maister could not be reached for comment yesterday about Bell's continued suitability. When asked a similar question three weeks ago by the Herald on Sunday he said Daniel has had an interesting past but hopefully we can turn that around.