Speaking truth to power takes many forms, and this year's recipients of the SOS Courage Cup, one to athlete Bobby Finke, the other to the Ellesmere Parents Group and the offspring harmed by events that drew official apology this past week, epitomise what it means to use your voice in the face of the unjust and unfair

Finke found the courage (no surprise there, given the heights he's reached in the pool) to hit back at those suggesting the USA Swimming team had 'failed', had 'let us down', been 'disappointing' and much worse.

In challenging circumstances including poor health that hit the camp, the USA still emerged as the team on top of the medals table. Historically, the overall team performance was at the low end of American outcome sand expectations.

Were there, and are there still, problems in the governance and leadership of swimming in the United States that impact its ability to replicate the kind of dominance in the pool we witnessed on many occasions yesteryear?

Absolutely. Having folk in blazers and even far away back home making team selection decisions is an example. The performance director and team of coaches are the folk who ought to be responsible and accountable for relay picks at major events (because that's their job and their expertise, and both are on the line). Having blazers among those muscling in on decision-making when it comes to which swimmers race heats, finals in relays is an example of 'backward step'.

Finke, coached at the Florida Gators by Anthony Nesty, agreed that there were issues to resolve but he was having none of it in a specific place: his and the lane in which he and his teammates get up, race in.

They must do so alone as the prime assets and stars of their sport, regardless of the great work their entourages do to get them there (see the quotes below), and without any input whatsoever from people all too keen to be fanboys and girls, including niche media, the bloggers, vloggers and podcasters among them.

In this digital era spilling into the age of AI and a febrile environment in which the athlete is sometimes seen as 'fair game' in the way the gladiators of yore were - dispensable unless you're winning (and minus the big cats and blades etc) pushing back can require bravery. We live in an era of 'are you not entertained', as Maximus put it, the misleading, inaccurate and even false 'rage bait' dressed in false claims to 'free speech' a constant companion, it seems.

It's bravery of a specific kind that we're interested in here: the kind that is not just about speaking out, but doing so in a way that reaches for a depth of truth when confronted with arguments so shallow on accuracy you couldn't drown a mouse in them.

The case of the Ellesmere Parents Group and a story involving Ellesmere College's swim group, the Titans, treads similar waters. Some of those impacted - parents and their young swimmers - by decisions taken by Swim England on grounds that have now led to the association issuing an apology, had to resort to professional medical and therapeutic help to get through it:

Swim England Apologises to Ellesmere College & Families For Catalogue of Failings over Titans Club Disaffiliation

National Swimming Federation takes a big step in meaningful reform as it acknowledges that one of Britain’s leading clubs was stripped of affiliation after governors acted on allegations that would prove to be false. Campaigners thanked for their contribution to improving governance

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

In that story, we nod to the work of a leader new to top swimming-specific governance, Andy Salmon. In a sense, we can pay plaudits to the parents in current circumstance because of his courage and integrity, too. Extend that thought and same spirit to those who have helped him to see where buckets, brooms, mops and open windows were required at Swim England.

If we can include Salmon and Swim England on our list of candidates for courage and fair play awards at the end of 2026, the sport will have something more significant to celebrate in terms of righting the ship and setting sail for brighter shores. We're not quite there yet.

Here is a touch more detail, and links to relevant coverage, as we pay plaudits to Finke and the Ellesmere parents and their swimmers.