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Ireland’s Shane Ryan, Darragh Greene, Brendan Hyland and Jack McMillan at the European Aquatics Championships in Budapest. Andrea Staccioli/INPHO
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Olympic invite for Irish men's swim team rescinded following FINA error

Swim Ireland intend to challenge the decision.

SWIM IRELAND HAVE confirmed that an invitation for the Ireland men’s 4x100m medley relay team to compete at the Tokyo Olympics has been rescinded by FINA.

On Saturday, Swim Ireland announced that two men’s relay teams – the men’s 4x200m freestyle and the men’s 4x100m medley teams – had had their qualification for the Tokyo Games officially confirmed.

Both team had set new Irish records at the European Aquatic Championships in Budapest last month. Shane Ryan, Darragh Greene and Brendan Hyland swam in the 4x100m medley, along with Jack McMillan, who also swam with the 4x200m freestyle team.

However, Swim Ireland have today announced that the invite issued to the 4x100m medley team has been rescinded by FINA, swimming’s world governing body, and had originally been issued in error.

Swim Ireland confirmed that they intend to challenge the decision.

A Swim Ireland statement read: “Swim Ireland can confirm that we received correspondence on Sunday, June 6 from FINA rescinding their invitation for Ireland to compete in the Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“Having received and accepted FINA’s invitation to compete on Saturday, June 5, we are extremely disappointed that FINA have told us that the invitation was issued in error, particularly given the impact on the affected athletes.

“Our intention is to challenge the decision and we are currently exploring all options in this regard.

“The invitation for Ireland to compete in the Men’s 4x200m Freestyle relay is unaffected.”

Each swimming relay event at the Olympics sees 16 countries participate. 

The fastest 12 teams in the heats at the 2019 World Championships in Gwanju, South Korea gained automatic qualification for Tokyo 2020, with the four remaining spots filled based on performances at FINA designated meets during the qualification period, which ended on 31 May, 2021.

The Tokyo Olympic Games is set to be the first time since 1972 that Ireland has competed in a swimming relay, and the first time ever an Irish male relay team will compete. 

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