Australia coach criticises finals switch

Australia's swimming chief criticised the International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday for switching the swimming finals from evening to morning to suit big-spending US broadcaster NBC.

Head coach Alan Thompson said the IOC had been disloyal to the sport by allowing the change to ensure American Michael Phelps's quest for a record eight gold medals had a prime-time viewing audience in the United States.

"In this day and age, loyalties are lacking in sport and often money talks too loudly," Thompson told a news conference.

"I think when it comes to issues like that, there are certain traditions that need to be followed in sport and (the IOC) should have ensured this didn't happen."

The IOC came under heavy criticism from swimmers, coaches and broadcasters when it agreed in 2006 to move finals to the morning to suit NBC, which paid $3.55 billion for exclusive United States media rights to the Olympics from 2000-2008.

Phelps, who won six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, is aiming to beat Mark Spitz's record haul of seven golds at a single Olympics.

Thompson said the Australians had prepared fully for the schedule change.

"Whether we have heats or finals in the morning or afternoon doesn't matter, it's about performance. We have done everything we need to be prepared for that," he said.