Fundraising for Athletes – and Crossing the Line

Reading the story of Kiwi’s Logan Campbell two weeks ago brought back memories of Leilani Rios in 1999-2000.  I was living and working in California at the time, and she was big news everywhere.

Leilani Rios was the Cal State Fullerton cross country runner who was kicked off the team for working as an exotic dancer to support herself.   Apparently, she was the first person in her family to attend college, so it had a “poor me” storyline.  Since she could not afford to continue her education without the supplemental income, she simply refused to quit her job.

She was very discreet about it, and it was kept a low profile until the Men’s baseball team “discovered” her.  Of course, the men’s baseball team did not suffer any repercussions for entering an adult night club, and it’s possible they even went in their school uniforms.

Rios was a walk-on and not on scholarship and therefore he NCAA the had no jurisdiction on the matter. 

It all came down to the coaches interpretation of the "Athlete’s Code of Conduct." and Coach John Elders decided it was simply morally wrong. 

Rios eventually accepted a photo shoot with Playboy for an undisclosed amount and that was the end of the story.

If YOU were her coach, what would you do?

Here is a partial article from the Sunday Star Times:

LOGAN CAMPBELL had a dilemma. The Beijing Olympian’s funding had dried up and he was in danger of missing the London Olympics in 2012. So the 23-year-old came up with an outrageous plan – he traded his taekwondo outfit for a sharp suit and became a pimp.

Campbell and business partner Hugo Phillips, 20, last week launched a "high-class gentleman’s club" (read brothel) near Auckland’s infamous K Rd, and Campbell hopes to get to London off the earnings of prostitution.

He finished in the top 16 in the featherweight division at Beijing, after losing his first match against reigning world champion Yu-Chi Sung, of Taiwan, who finished with the bronze medal. Campbell said Sung is a "movie star" in his home country and "never has to worry about funding". Campbell’s Beijing campaign cost about $150,000 in the preceding years, most of it eaten up by travel costs as he competed at events around the world. Most of the money came from his parents  his father, Max, an auctioneer, worked two jobs to get his son to the Olympics. Campbell said he was sick of being a burden on his parents.

He received a $15,000 "performance enhancement grant" from government sports funding body Sparc for finishing in the top 16 at Beijing, but Taekwondo New Zealand (TNZ) has suspended the funding because Campbell has not been competing.

Campbell’s plan is to take a couple of years off, hopefully earn up to $300,000 from the brothel, and launch his London bid in 2011. He believes with that kind of money behind him, he will be a serious medal prospect.

But his unorthodox fundraising plan has not gone down well with his national body. TNZ funding manager John Schofield said that although it would not affect his membership, it would be taken into account when considering him for international selection. "Selection takes into account not just performance but also the athlete’s ability to serve as an example to the youth of the country."