Sean McCann, swimmer

[TheAverageJoanne]

I noticed the swimmer Sean McCann is being described in every news story as Madeleine McCann's brother. AIBU to think this is unfair to the guy who's trained, qualified and got into the final? It feels very unfair.

We take our kids to a UK holiday place and they go to the 2 hour daily kids club and I always get a weird sinking feeling like Madeline mccanns parents were vilified for this. But it's not a creche really it's like organised games and things and my kids are 5 and 8 and everyday their main question was when they could go to kids club with their holiday pals. It let us go to the spa together or have an afternoon tea. I do get the slight hypocrisy vibe between that and my horror at the mccanns. But a holiday club is one thing, unsupervised in a hotel room is quite another. I do have sympathy in that we all try to continue some adult life with children but I do think they were blasé and paid the price. Or they were behind her disappearance and have gotten away with it.

It's one of those mysteries I hope is solved in my lifetime, it really affected me at the time

I think it's wrong his name is still linked to that tragedy which happened many years ago. Now he is the only swimmer anybody will remember.

Well I did know people who did - amazing to think that people are all different then as now.

Yep, some are attentive parents and some not so much. Same as always. But it doesn't signify a huge cultural shift in 16 years. That's my point people saying oh times were different conjures up days when poor kids were down the mine and rich kids were loosely supervised by governesses and wheeled out twice daily to say hello to mama and papa.

For some reason, possibly to Sean's achievements, I have finally got round to looking at the 'scene of the crime' (youtube video of the resort).

I'd always conjured up an image of it being in a cosy contained area, been a bit on the fence like is it just going out for dinner in a very large garden? Am I being too harsh?
Having finally seen the area, and taking into account any changes, I can't believe the children were left alone.

It's like wow. There's a main road!

I don't know why and I've no rational explanation or contacts or anything but I've a gut feeling this will be resolved soon.

It's like there's a sort of something will finally give event ahead.
Maybe it's just imagination or my gut telling my brain something it's not grasped on a conscious level.

No it really doesn't. There has been a big shift that I have seen with my own eyes. Other people may have different experiences but I see changed attitudes in my own circle of friends and acquaintances and observing parental behaviour in hotels etc.

There always were and always will be different parenting styles but there is definitely more fear around now.

Well I guess it's good some people are better parents. The shifts I see are more to more understanding less shouty parenting styles and thank God no one hits their kids anymore. But no one in my circle ever left kids unattended in hotels.

Thanks for the responsible report, Loughborough University.

So a thread about Sean McCann and his swimming achievements has turned into yet another opportunity to criticise his parents. How very, very sad.

I am from the same generation as the McCanns. Never have and never would leave my kids. But by god they have been punished for it!

Anyway. Going back to Sean who this thread is about.

He’s worked hard and has been around the national swimming scene for a number of years.

He’s a nice lad who the swimmers get on well with. He is a distance swimmer so will be putting 70-100k through the pool a week as well gym sessions.

His parents have always been poolside supporting him either 1 or both and are typical of the good swim parents. (By that I mean supportive or everyone swimming).

He’s done well to swim for Scotland. He’s earned his place on the team.

And he's earned that because of who he is, his dedication and his training.

It’s really not fair to attribute his successes to his sister. That case should be kept in the media for other reasons.

So why are you bringing it up? Loads of people had no idea until you posted,

Very well said!

This thread is about Sean’s achievements! .

Let’s not turn it in to blaming thread against his parents please. They made a mistake, they said so themselves and they have suffered their profound loss ever since. It’s time to leave them alone to support their other dc.

Seriously? What a nasty post.

The thread was about how his swimming career is being discussed inr relation to his sisters disappearance. If you'd like to start a thread about his swimming capability or stats etc then go ahead we can discuss that. But don't pretend this thread was about him as a standalone swimmer because that wasn't the point of the thread subject matter at all

No I think the op is saying that Sean’s achievements should be celebrated in their own right. That is the main point.

In 2012 when he won the American title it was referred to a lot by the American media. As he was in Primary school he will remember it well, I think he's spoken about it. Sean McCann will only know about it because it has been in his life almost forever though I doubt he recalls the event.

No the thread about how unfair it is that his swimming career is overshadowed by his sisters disappearance
And he is known as Madeleine McCanns brother rather than Sean McCann.

I can imagine that IRL, to his friends, family and swimmers, he'll be known as an individual in his own right. As he should be

Media will always highlight the Madeleine connection. But look, here we are, talking about it. We're part of the problem

I remember there was some talk in the media about the double standards of if had been a poor family then may have been judged differently but generally was one of
sympathy alot more than now, even if some people might have said/thought perhaps they wouldn’t of left the children, there certainly wasn’t the sense of outrage about it there seems to be now at the time

I’m fully aware that any post mentioning any McCann family member in whatever context will always attract McCanns critics in their droves to put the boot in, and this is just another opportunity. You’d think after 18 years people would have got tired of saying “I’d never leave my kids unattended” and “how could they” but apparently not. The McCanns’ children have apparently forgiven their parents but it seems the general public simply cannot. That’s very, very sad imo.

I think that’s the point, I think then it was the equivalent today of along the lines of would you let your 8 year old play out, some would and some wouldn’t and so some would of thought in their back of their minds well I wouldn’t have done that but not there wasn’t the venom about it there is today

Because I wanted to discuss it.

You're absolutely wrong. In however many years since Sean's sister vanished, I've never once discussed her disappearance until this response to you. I remember it happening. I was an undergraduate at the time. I remember thinking it was a terrible thing to happen, I felt sorry for the family and I hoped she'd be found safe, but I've never been invested in the story in the way that people with small children would be.

The only time I've ever thought about Madeleine is if I've caught a news story. It was sad, but not a key topic for a 19 year old. I also don't have children so I don't look at it from the angle of many posters.

I started this thread for the exact reason given in the first post.

Please go away with your accusations.

Not only this, but they have stated where he is studying too (same place as my son )
On a positive, lovely that the 3 of them could support him - obviously what happened will never be forgotten, but some normality !