"It's killing me," she continued. "Do you know how the pool in Beijing will look to me after swimming in such a tiny pool once a month? Like an ocean. And the PA doesn't care, as long as I'm there representing Palestine. They won't even get me special permits from the Israelis to go from Jenin to Jerusalem, to practice in a long pool, as if it's solely my problem."

"Since the Palestinians were first allowed to enter the event in Atlanta, the Authorities have been taking advantage of the free ticket granted by the International Olympic Committee to send four athletes to the event, without any necessary criteria...
... But the free political statement the athletes make, marching with the Palestinian flag during the opening ceremony, is priceless to the PA."

"But Tahwil believes that the athletes should not be treated as a mere political statement. "Once, when Arafat was alive," he reminisces, "I would go to him and he would give orders to grant me funds. He understood that sport could bring honor to the Palestinians. But Abbas doesn't do anything to help."