Hackett may lead from the stands
SWIMMING Australia has revealed its plan to have injured Olympic champion Grant Hackett stay on as a “non-playing captain” for Melbourne’s Commonwealth Games.
Hackett, 25, was forced to withdraw from the Games last month to have shoulder surgery, raising questions about who would fill his captaincy role on the national team in March.
Swimming Australia chief executive Glenn Tasker said yesterday the team hierarchy had decided it wanted Hackett to retain his role on the pool deck, but this was subject to him being granted accreditation.
“(National head coach) Alan Thompson is looking to see if there is a way we can involve Grant with the team,” Tasker said.
“If we can, then he would be sort of a non-playing captain, a bit like the Davis Cup.
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“That’s our preference. It just depends on whether or not we can get accreditation for him. If we can’t then we would look to appoint someone as an interim captain for that event.”
The issue of accreditation is not in Swimming Australia’s hands, but is determined by the Melbourne 2006 organising committee.
“It’s the organising committee that makes those determinations,” Tasker said. “If we can get him in there, we will.
“If we can’t get him accreditation then we’d look at probably having a replacement who would do the things that Grant’s been doing with the media and at team meetings.”
Hackett’s middle-distance freestyle rival Ian Thorpe has already said he has no interest replacing Hackett as captain.
Hackett was appointed team captain at the national trials in March — the first time swimming had named an individual in the role.
If he is able to join the team as captain for the Games, Hackett is sure to be kept as busy as he would be if he were competing.
The dual Olympic 1500m champion will be back in training and will also have television commitments with Channel 7 to fulfil.
After receiving a positive report following his surgery last month, Hackett has taken time out from his recovery to holiday in Venice.
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