NEW YORK — Michael Phelps is glad for gender-equality in his sport, but overall he’s not supportive of adding swimming events to the Olympics.
Last week, the IOC announced it added the men’s 800m freestyle, women’s 1500m freestyle and a mixed-gender 4x100m medley relay to the Olympics for 2020.
Swimming’s international governing body also hoped to have 50m events in backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly added, but those were rejected even though they are already on the world championships program.
Phelps supported having women able to race the 1500m free at the Olympics, which the men have done for more than 100 years.