Artistic swimmer speaks out for equality in the pool, gets chance to become an Olympian
Updated: May 27, 2024 8:34 PM CDT
Artistic swimmer Bill May, 45, qualified for the Olympics due to a rule change that allowed men to participate. “When I was a kid, people would ask me, 'Why do you want to do a sport that's not in the Olympics?'” May said. “Every time someone said no, I'd say, 'Look. You're going to see me in the Olympics. If you say no, I'm going to say yes.'” Artistic swimming previously had a rule that barred men from competing in the Olympics. May watched from the sidelines as his teammates won a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He then retired from competitive swimming and found fame in the Cirque du Soleil show “O.” “I worked for Cirque du Soleil for 18 years,” May said. Rule changes for the 2022 Olympics allow up to two men on each competitive team, starting with the Paris Games. May is one of the first U.S. swimmers to make the Olympic team in nearly 18 years. “We are honored to have Bill May as a pioneer of this change, and because of him, all the men who have a passion for this sport can participate,” Olympic coach Andrea Fuentes said. “By allowing men to participate, I think it opens the door for men to participate in this sport and for our families and people around the world to say, 'This is a sport that both men and women can participate in,'” May said. When the sport was being developed in the first half of the 20th century, men were a big part of the sport. But they started to be excluded because they were less flexible, less buoyant, or even too big. The cuts are looming, as Fuentes can only take eight athletes to the Paris Games. When asked if she would do her best to have a mixed-gender team, May said, “I would really love to, but at the same time, we have to make sure it's fair in the sense of putting the best athletes out there.” “I'm feeling the excitement of the Olympics, and I really want to go to the Olympics,” May said. “Going to the Olympics is for me, but it's also for my sport, which is about inclusivity, equality, and fairness. That's what any athlete wants.” Fuentes is expected to announce next week the eight artistic swimmers who will remain on the Olympic team.
Artistic swimmer Bill May, 45, qualified for the Olympics thanks to rule changes that allowed men to compete in the event.
“When I was growing up, people would ask me, 'Why do you want to play a sport that's not in the Olympics?'” May said. “Every time someone said no, I'd say, 'Look at me. You'll see me in the Olympics. If you say no, I say yes.'”
Artistic swimming has previously been banned for men at the Olympics.
May was on the sidelines watching his teammates win the bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
He then retired from competition and found fame in the Cirque du Soleil show “O.”
“I worked for Cirque du Soleil for 18 years,” May said.
Rule changes for the 2022 Olympics will allow up to two male athletes on each competitive team, starting with the Paris Games.
May is one of the first athletes in nearly 18 years to be selected for Team USA's Olympic Artistic Team.
“We are honored to have Bill May as a pioneer who has brought about this change, and because of him, every boy who has a passion for this can make it happen,” Olympic coach Andrea Fuentes said.
“By allowing men to participate, I think it opens the door for more men to enter the sport and allows our families and people around the world to say, 'This sport is open to men,'” May said.
When the sport developed in the early 20th century, men played a major role.
They began to be eliminated for reasons such as inflexibility, low buoyancy, and even being too large.
The cuts will come as Fuentes can only take eight swimmers to Paris.
When asked if she would consider having a mixed-gender team, she replied: “I would really love to, but at the same time, we have to make sure it's fair in terms of having the best players competing.”
“I see the excitement going into the Olympics and I really want to go to the Olympics,” May said. “Going to the Olympics is not just for me, it's also for my sport, with inclusivity, equality and fairness, which is what any athlete wants.”
Fuentes is expected to announce the eight artistic swimmers who will be finalists for the Olympic team next week.
