Episode
Kirsty Coventry Says Swimmers Should NOT Get Paid — HUGE Backlash!
- Podcast
- Night Swim Podcast
- Published
- Jun 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 628
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/night-swim-podcast-7584275/episodes/kirsty-coventry-says-swimmers-should-not-get-paid-huge-backlash/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/night-swim-podcast-7584275/kirsty-coventry-says-swimmers-should-not-get-paid-huge-backlash.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Kirsty Coventry, Olympic legend and current swimming power player, drops a bombshell: swimming should stay an "amateur sport" and athletes shouldn't get paid. The internet (and Night Swim) lost it.Dax and Elvis go full send on why this is one of the worst takes in recent swimming history:- She's a former swimmer who personally cashed massive checks — including $100K from Robert Mugabe- Now she's pulling the ladder up behind her, telling current athletes to survive on "beautiful venues and experiences" while bills pile up- Cam McEvoy's viral breakdown: Paying every Olympic qualifier appearance fees, performance bonuses, and world record bonuses would cost just ~$180 million — only 2% of the IOC/World Aquatics revenue- Brutal NBA comparison: 50% revenue share with players vs swimming's crumbs- Perfectly timed right after the Enhanced Games — feels scripted and tone-deafThe guys call it straight-up greed, compare it to the NCAA's old playbook, and question how a swimmer-turned-administrator can say this with a straight face. Roland Schoeman even started a petition to remove her.This isn't just one bad comment — it's the perfect example of why swimming stays broke while other sports eat. Athletes bust blood, sweat, and tears for four years and get told "good job" while organizations print money off their backs.Raw, unfiltered reaction from two Black swimmers who are tired of the politics.What’s your take — is Kirsty right or completely wrong? Should Olympic swimmers get paid like pros? Sound off in the comments 👇 🌙 Night Swim PodcastWhen the pool lights go out, the real talk begins. Hosted by Dax Hill (NCAA champ, Texas Longhorns legend, high-performance technique guru @Reykli) and Elvis Burrows (Bahamian Olympian, national record holder, foun…