James Magnussen says he's getting support from Australian swim team members in Budapest after speaking out against relay tactics at the world championships.
Magnussen has been caught in a polite but pointed war of words with fellow sidelined star Cate Campbell, who described his criticism as disrespectful because he wasn't there and should trust the coaches making the decisions.
The two-time 100m freestyle champion was not backing down, adamant Australia got it wrong by not leading off with its fastest swimmers in relays.
Magnussen said on Sunday he'd tried to make the same point at the Rio Olympics but was not heeded.
In Australia sidelined by injury, he told Fox Sports: "Since my comments yesterday, my phone was inundated by swimmers both past and present.
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"A lot of those over in Budapest right now, supporting my comments and saying 'thank god someone came out and said something about this'."
Magnussen believed it was folly not to lead off the relays with the fastest swimmers like Cameron McEvoy and Bronte Campbell and said there was scientific evidence to show it was the best tactic.
"The other countries are leading off with their fastest swimmers, putting leads on the rest of the field and then coming home strong to win the gold," he said.
Despite his concerns, Magnussen backed national head coach Jacco Verhaeren as the best man for the job and believed he was putting the right systems in place for long-term success.
Responding to Campbell, who is working as a commentator in Budapest, Magnussen mounted an eloquent defence.
"I've been a part of this team for the past seven years and I'll be a part of this team again in the future," he said.
"To say that I'm not a part of the team this year because I'm out with injury is, I think, a little disrespectful in itself.
"To say that I'm being disrespectful because I care so much about this team that I want us to get the best results and I believe there's a way we can get better results that we are currently - if that's disrespectful, then guilty as charged but I care about this team.
"I stand by my comments and nothing I've said was anything but factual. People in the swimming world know that."
He added: "For Cate to say it's disrespectful if I'm not part of the team ... nor is she this year, so maybe she's not in the right place to be commenting on that."
