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Rick DeMont

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Swimmer

The Resume

    (April 21, 1956- )
    Born in San Francisco, California
    Won a gold medal in 400-m freestyle at the FINA World Championships (1973)
    Held world records in 400-m freestyle (September 9, 1973-August 22, 1974) and 1500-m freestyle (August 6-September 4, 1972)
    Assistant coach for the men's swim teams at the Olympics in Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008)
    Head coach of the men's and women's swimming and diving teams at the University of Arizona (2014-17)
    Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (1990)

Why he might be annoying:

    He won an Olympic gold medal in 400-meter freestyle only to be disqualified after testing positive for a banned stimulant, ephedrine (1972).
    Because of the failed drug test, he was barred from competing in other races at the 1972 Olympics, possibly costing him a second gold medal in 1500-meter freestyle (an event he was the reigning world record holder in).
    He was the first American athlete forced to return an Olympic gold medal since Jim Thorpe in 1912.
    He said, 'I went from a positive type of person to negative. I was angry, pissed off, almost violent.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was named World Swimmer of the Year after becoming the first person to swim 1500-meter freestyle in under four minutes (1973).
    The ephedrine he tested positive for was an ingredient in his prescription asthma medication, Marax.
    He had properly listed his asthma medications on his medical disclosure form, but the US Olympic Committee did not bother to check if they contained banned substances (and arrange for alternative medications if they did).
    US swim team coach Peter Daland called his disqualification 'a gross injustice.'
    The USOC finally admitted to having mishandled his medical information and petitioned the International Olympic Committee to reinstate his gold medal (2001).
    One of the swimmers he coached, Chrissy Ahmann-Leighton, won two gold medals in relay events and gave one to him, saying 'Hold on to this until you get yours.'

Credit: C. Fishel


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