The loudest voices in American swimming today do not come from the pool but from two of its most decorated champions. Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte turned a struggling World Championships into a public reckoning, with Lochte staging a mock “funeral” for USA Swimming on social media and Phelps declaring, “Call it a funeral, or call it a fresh start.” The criticism has ignited heated debate, but behind the spectacle lies a strikingly personal confession. For all the glory they achieved in their sport, both Phelps and, earlier, Simone Biles have admitted they would hesitate to let their own children follow in their footsteps.

The conversation surrounding USA Swimming’s decline has sharpened since Paris. In 2016, the United States captured 57 percent of medals available in Rio. Eight y

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