Proven frauds - information request

KarenTKarenT Charter Member
edited October 2013 in General Discussion
Hi all
Does anyone have a list / info about any proven marathon swimming frauds? I've got Dorothy Logan from the 1920's, and am aware of the suspicions around last year's claimed December North Channel swim. But I am sure there are a few more. I'm not looking for examples of swims where allegiance to particular sets of rules are at issue in terms of what kind of swim it was, but rather, out and out fraudulent claims to have done a swim either without having got wet or, as in Logan's case, only getting wet for short stretches at either end. Ideally, I'm looking for proven / confessed cases, if there are any, since I can write about those more directly, but am also interested in widely recognised or generally accepted out and out frauds. Do the Catalina / SB swims have any historical cases that I can look at?

I'm also interested in accusations of fraud and how they get played out publicly - I've already got Gleitz and have already written quite extensively about the Florida Straits disputes, past and present. But any others?

It's background info for the swimming book, which is now 50% written and proceeding at a glacial but steady pace...much like me on a long swim, really.

Many thanks
K
DanSimonelli

Comments

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Sounds interesting. Looking forward to reading more from you!

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member
    I've got you I'll email you @Karen. Been dealing with dead with laptop all weekend, and I wanted to email you back anyway.

    loneswimmer.com

  • KarenTKarenT Charter Member
    Many thanks to @loneswimmer for further info - just what I was looking for. Any eg's from non-UK / Ireland sites would be gratefully received if anyone has any.
    Thanks,
    Kx
  • GordsGords Syracuse, UTCharter Member
    That dead sea swim may be unbelievable to some, and while it lacks any kind documentation or proof of validity, I wouldn't necessarily consider it fraud. The Great Salt Lake where I swim is roughly half as salty as the Dead Sea. Personally I've never swam in the Dead Sea, but don't consider this swim as unbelievable nor frankly all that impressive.
  • I was going to say' only 1.8'?
    Not sure why the Dead Sea swim is unbelievable...
  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    Swimming in the Dead Sea is dangerous and tricky. One tends to spin and leap like a cork. You can't put your head in the water and your limbs keep popping out, but I suppose you could manage 40 minutes of breaststroke or somesuch.
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    edited February 2017

    Just came across this site, dedicated to uncovering frauds in the marathon running world:

    http://www.marathoninvestigation.com

    The second third post from the top, about a course cutter in the Ft Lauderdale half marathon, is particularly good. This may be my favorite thing since the Kip Litton New Yorker article.

    IronMikeAnthonyMcCarleyKarl_KingerythelittlemerwookieDanSimonelliJaimieJustSwim
  • danslosdanslos Los Angeles, CAMem​ber

    Another couple, though not swimming:

    Ultramarathon runner Sergio Motsoeneng & triathlete Julie Miller

    DanSimonelli
  • swimmer25kswimmer25k Charter Member

    Check out Donald Crowhersr who entered a solo circumnavigation of Earth sailing race in the late 60s. Diana Nyad could have used his help as her escort, or maybe not since he died during his elaborate deception.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Crowhurst

    DanSimonelli
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    Speaking of frauds in marathon running, this came up today in the Telegraph UK: Beijing marathon to use facial recognition in cheating crackdown.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • phodgeszohophodgeszoho UKSenior Member

    Might be the same story but from the BBC: The man who catches marathon cheats - from his home

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39584495

    evmoIronMike
  • MvGMvG MauritiusCharter Member

    Mount Everest saw a widely publicised case last year in which a climber couple had photoshopped themselves to the summit: https://washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/29/indian-couple-accused-of-faking-widely-praised-everest-climb/

    IronMike
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    edited May 2017

    From Capt. Tim Johnson's classic History of Open Water Marathon Swimming (2006 ed., pg. 289):


    In writing a history of swimming, one becomes aware of the placement of swimming entries in indexes of newspapers. Swimming comes after Suicides and before Swindles. It could be said that marathon swims, in a queer way, are the same; some border on suicides and others border on swindles.

    malinakathelittlemerwookieSolorosemarymintTracy_ClarkIronMikeJustSwimJaimielakesprayDanSimonelli
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    edited May 2017

    Classic Outside Magazine article from 2004.

    https://www.outsideonline.com/1913496/truth-be-told-they-lied

    Truth Be Told They Lied

    Sport and adventure are often yoked to deception, and the chronicle of outdoor accomplishment comes studded with tales of those who deployed the Big Lie.
    By: Philip Weiss May 2, 2004


    Money quote:

    The big liars tend to be desperate, deeply driven people who before long have created a superstructure of admirers and supporters who are innocently but fervently invested in their achievement.

    DanSimonelliIronMikeswimdailydanslos
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