Task 2:
To: President of the Australian Olympic Federation
Dear Sir,
As a leading sponsor of the Australian Olympic team, I am writing this letter to you to express my disapproval in regard to the Australian Swimming Authority's decision to disqualify one of our leading sportsmen, Ian Thorpe out of the year 2004 Athens Olympics simply because he overbalanced on the starting blocks at the Olympic team trials in Sydney.
The decision is just simply unreasonable. It seems that the Australian Swimming Authority is sacrificing Ian Thorpe's opportunity to compete in the 2004 Athens to show how righteous the Authority's decisions are. So righteous that the Authority will eliminate our best hope just because he has accidentally fell in to the pool before starting, breaking the ridiculous "one false start and you're out" rule.
Who doesn't make mistakes? Knowing there is such a nonsensical rule, Ian Thorpe would doubtlessly try his best effort to prevent making any mistakes during the trial and even during the competition.
Ian Thorpe
Swimmer Ian Thorpe on a plane.
English: Ian Thorpe Olympic torch bearer at 2008 O...More to this, Ian Thorpe is a world class sportsman. He is experienced and therefore it is unlikely he broke the rule deliberately.
Such severe punishment should not be given to someone who 'accidentally' breaks the rule. It is unfair to punish him if we think of the painstaking efforts that Ian Thorpe has put in for training for the past 'four' years. It will not only seize his opportunity to gain a medal for Australia in 2004 Athens, it will also be a enormous setback in his swimming career which will also effect his performance in the future. Perhaps, the unwise "one false start and you're out" rule shouldn't be placed under the category of zero tolerance.
I hope that you will come to agree that this outrageous decision made by the...