Warning signs were there when Thorpe returned

Read The Sydney Morning Herald

To some, signs of the turmoil in Australian swimming could be seen in the lead-up to last year’s national titles. Swimming Australia was attempting to reinvigorate a sport that had lost relevance – it turned to Ian Thorpe.
The powers that be thought Thorpe, and a group of former champions, could spark interest and publicity among an Australian public that no longer cared enough for Channel Nine to continue its coverage of the national championships, which once had a prime-time presence.