Posted at 6:17 a.m., Monday, August 6, 2007
Swimming: Gold medalist Manaudou fired by Italian club
Associated Press
ROME — Olympic gold medal swimmer Laure Manaudou was fired by her Italian club today because of her behavior at a meet in Paris.LaPresse club did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the decision, but the ANSA news agency said Manaudou does not get along with her trainer, Paolo Penso.
The club said Manaudou was informed about the decision while on vacation.
The team said she could return, but she must apologize to Penso and the French national team.
"There's one chance in a million for Laure to understand and come back," club president Marco Durante said in the statement.
Penso had reportedly complained about Manaudou's performance at the meet.
"Today, we went back two or three steps on our path to the gold medal," Penso told French daily L'Equipe, referring to the Manaudou's 12th-place finish in the 200 backstroke. "After the first 50, she gave up."
Manaudou split with her French coach in May and moved to Turin, Italy. She is dating Italian swimmer Luca Marin.
Manaudou won the 400-meter freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics. At this year's world championships in Melbourne, Australia, she won gold in the 200 and 400 free, plus three other medals.
Manaudou broke Janet Evans' 18-year-old 400 freestyle world record in May 2006.
