At the heart of an imbroglio with the Tunisian authorities, the star of swimming Oussama Mellouli announces that he will boycott the next Olympics, despite intense and serious preparation.
In the center a long legal dispute with the Tunisian Swimming Federation (FTN), the famous swimmer Oussama Mellouli has decided to boycott the Tokyo Olympics. His decision seems firm and final. The athlete has indeed posted on his Instagram account a message showing his weariness and dismay in the face of the conflict between him and the federation. “After months of suffering, I lose all hope of reconciliation (with the FTN, note) or of winning my case. So I decided to withdraw from international competitions and boycott the Tokyo Games He writes.
However, Mellouli did not give further details. The Tunisian media recall that a legal dispute has opposed the swimmer to the FTN since 1999. But the decision surprises: accustomed to performances, Mellouli is very often a real chance of a medal for Tunisia in international competitions. This time, the refusal of the FTN to accredit its physiotherapist did not pass to the swimmer who sees it as an unfair decision on the part of the Tunisian federation. Tunisian internet users have chosen their camp: according to them, the FTN has destroyed the career of the 37-year-old swimmer, even before the courts. Oussama Mellouli added: “I am an athlete of the highest level, I fight to the end, with perseverance and patience. But here, I throw in the towel ”.
🏊🏻♂️🇹🇳 Swimmer Oussama Mellouli announced this Monday, July 19, via his Instagram account, his boycott of the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Against a backdrop of conflict with the Tunisian Swimming Federation, the two-time Olympic champion announces his international retirement. #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/lVijLquesn
- ETTACHKILA (@EttachkilaTN) July 19, 2021
Mellouli, a legend of Tunisian sport
Mellouli has undoubtedly entered the legend of Tunisian sport. The swimmer is the most successful Tunisian athlete in Olympic Games history, with two gold medals and one bronze medal. Above all, the swimmer has never made a wave and has remained constant throughout his career. At the age of 16, he set his first African record. Five years later, he sets a first Olympic record. With 45 gold medals, including two obtained at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and those in London in 2012, Mellouli holds 3 of the 13 Olympic medals obtained by Tunisia.
But today, the one who resides in the United States is exasperated. Since the start of his career, beyond a sponsorship contract with the national telecommunications company, Mellouli has not emerged a winner from his association with the FTN. The federation has also hardly supported the swimmer, targeted by criticism after a doping case in 2007.
The boycott of the Tokyo Olympics was certainly a difficult decision for Mellouli: the swimmer would have been the fourth swimmer to participate in six editions of the Olympic Games. He had already been the first Tunisian swimmer to win gold in both pool and open water. Currently, he still holds the world record in the 1 meters, since 500. He had qualified for the Beijing Olympics in June and had prepared for the competition for months.
If the head of the Tunisian Olympic Commission, Mehrez Boussayene, has promised to intervene in the dispute between Mellouli and the FTN, no solution has been found. The FTN did not react to the announcement of its swimmer.
During the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Marathon Swimming Qualifying event this weekend, Oussama Mellouli secured his Olympic spot. He will make his 6th appearance in Olympic Games, tying the all-time record held by Derya Büyükuncu, Lars Frölander and Therese Alshammar.
📷Mike Lewis pic.twitter.com/39sEAM3zb7- Swimming Stats (@SwimmingStats) June 21, 2021