Tait told the Sunday Herald in May that his final ambition in swimming was to compete for Scotland in India next October, but he had hoped to record the appropriate qualifying times in Canberra, where he has set up a new life with his girlfriend, the decorated Olympic swimmer Alice Mills. Tait was granted permanent Australian residency just last week.
In previous years his wishes would have been granted but the sport is in such a healthy state in this country that Scottish Swimming will hold formal Commonwealth Games trials for the first time next year.
Two places will be on offer in each race at Tollcross Park and exemptions will only be made available to swimmers who have already recorded qualifying times at the British Championships. So Tait’s request was flatly turned down.
Now juggling two jobs as a personal trainer and gym equipment technician, the former backstroke champion does not feel he can stretch to flying home for one weekend of swimming, and that creates an impasse which he says “pretty much closes the door” on his competitive career.
At pains to avoid entering a war of words with the governing body, Tait said: “I went to ask Scottish Swimming whether I could qualify out here and they have pretty much said no.
“In a lot of ways it has answered the question for me. It’s not something I have written off.
“I’m not bitter at the decision and will always be grateful for the help Scottish Swimming has given me over the years. But I would love to go to Delhi and it’s looking more unlikely now. I told [performance director] Ally Whike I’d love to be included and given the chance I would try to qualify. But I can’t really afford to go back to Britain to swim a couple of 50ms in the hope of making the team, and the powers that be have said that it’s not poss-ible for me to qualify here.
“I fully respect that. It’s the wise choice because they don’t want to be making an exception for one person. I still haven’t officially retired yet, but this pretty much closes the door.”
Whike explained that Scottish Swimming’s rigid selection policy was created with egalitarian intentions in mind. “We have had discussions with Gregor and there is an option for him to come over from Aus-tralia for the trials, but I can’t change the policy for one swimmer,” he said. “The whole point about having trials is that people have to be there.
“You can’t have a situation where people can get the time wherever they want, wherever in the world.
“I will definitely be disappointed if Gregor doesn’t come across and do the trials, because the experience he would give to the team would be invaluable. But I totally recognise that it’s his decision, and we need to look forward and do what’s best for the sport.”
With or without Tait, Scotland’s medal prospects in swimming, cycling and gymnastics should be strong in Delhi.
Jon Doig, chief executive of Commonwealth Games Scotland, was reluctant to comment.
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