Deep Water | Tortoise Investigates

Episode 6: "In Good Faith" (December 16, 2025)

Host: The Observer / Lydia Gard

Overview of the Episode

In this compelling final episode of "Deep Water," investigative journalist and freediver Lydia Gard delves into the escalating tensions within the freediving world, where doping allegations and community fracturing haunt what appears to be a serene, niche sport. Gard interviews Vitamir Maricic, a prominent Croatian coach and diver at the center of the doping controversy, scrutinizes competing claims, and explores the blurred boundaries of "performance enhancement." As freediving grows more professional and competitive, the episode unpacks the human complexities—ego, safety, and the shifting definitions of fair play—impacting both the sport’s integrity and its future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Interview with Vitamir Maricic: Setting the Scene

• Gard’s Motivation: Lydia explains her attempt to reach out to all parties involved, especially Vitamir, who is initially wary, fearing another “witch hunt.”

  • [02:16] “His voice is an important part of the story, that it will be an opportunity for him to address the rumours and allegations…” —Nadia Gard

• Vitamir's Background: He recounts his childhood dream to be a freediver, his sports science education, and transition to professional freediving.

  • [04:27] “Other people wanted to be an astronaut and I was like, well, I would just like to be a freediver and just freedive.” — Vitamir Maricic

• Sport Evolution: Vitamir criticizes outdated training methodologies and describes his own modern, athletic approach to freediving; highlights lack of qualifying standards and professionalism.

  • [06:47] “It’s open to all, so it’s very... It’s like a jungle.” — Vitamir Maricic

2. Viral Video, Accidents, and Concealment

• On Sharing Dangerous Footage: Vitamir and Petar posted a viral video of a serious freediving accident, sparking debate.

  • [07:57] “People like to see Formula One crashes and knockouts… But also, I see it as educational... these things happen… the community is shaped around hiding that rather than speaking about it, which in my opinion, is very wrong.” — Vitamir Maricic

• Safety Culture: He argues that hiding injuries only undermines the sport, and transparency will drive safety improvements.

  • [09:22] “I think it’s time that we start speaking about it so that we can actually create better protocols and procedures.” — Vitamir Maricic

• Public Perception vs. Normalization: Lydia worries public footage may normalize injuries for young divers; Vitamir disagrees on its impact.

  • [10:20] “I’ve never met anyone who wishes to have a lung squeeze. Never.” — Vitamir Maricic

3. The Vertical Blue Bag Search Controversy

• The Bag Search: Discussion of the infamous bag search at Vertical Blue, where substances were found in the Croatian team’s luggage.

  • [11:31] “I have no idea what would motivate someone to do something like that... there’s constantly attempts to harm us in any way.” — Vitamir Maricic
  • [13:52] “I made a leap of trust in good faith to share my time and do the story with you. So let’s see where it goes.” — Vitamir Maricic

• Alleged Banned Substances: Lydia runs through what was confiscated. Vitamir admits they had a WADA-banned substance (furosemide), but says it was for medical emergencies and never used.

  • [15:52] “It does have in medical procedures and especially in severe lung squeezes, we have been lucky to have never used it… I would never risk my health or anyone’s health if I can help them.” — Vitamir Maricic

• Medical Preparedness and Rule Inconsistencies: Vitamir notes the lack of standardization in medical provisions at competitions.

  • [17:38] “I teach at the Medical [University]… and I see how unprepared are pulmonologists or traumatologists for something freediving related… there is no regulation on the level of the medic or what gear or expertise he needs to have…” — Vitamir Maricic

4. The Benzodiazepine Question: Are They Doping?

• Presence and Use of Benzos: The team had multiple prescriptions of diazepam and alprazolam (not WADA-prohibited), claiming use for jetlag recovery. Lydia is skeptical based on medical advice.

  • [19:41] “We had them. We had them and we used them for, like, recovering from jet lag. We found that as the most effective way to recover from jet lag.” — Vitamir Maricic

• Medical Community Reaction: Doctors consulted say prescribing benzos for jetlag—in quantity—is inappropriate and dangerous, especially for freedivers.

  • [21:10] “It’s quite frightening. Benzos obviously cause respiratory depression… your body isn’t telling you to breathe, and then your mind’s not telling you to breathe…” — GP, relayed by Lydia Gard

• Questions on Transparency: Gard notes that if prescriptions were legitimate, publishing them would end speculation, but no evidence is produced.

• Ethical and Technical Boundaries: Vitamir draws a distinction between what is legal and what is ethical within sport.

  • [25:29] “If someone would find something and that something would be legal in all aspects, I would be careful in judging them… it’s the flaw of the system, not of the person exploiting that.” — Vitamir Maricic

5. Community Division, Reputation, and Narrative Control

• Ongoing Polarization: Lydia highlights that both sides (including Vitamir and William Trubridge) claim victimhood and misrepresentation, leading to an entrenched, adversarial atmosphere.

  • [14:55] “They both call the other side a small group dismissing their intentions, vilifying each other. And it reminds me of the bullshit asymmetry principle, that it’s harder to disprove a lie than to create one.” — Nadia Gard

• Impact on Reputation: Vitamir’s sponsorship and career are at stake, reinforcing the personal risks of the scandal.

6. First-Person Perspectives and Conflicting Accounts

• Vitamir’s Denials and Admissions: He denies taking benzos for dives or seeing his teammates do so, but later admits to once testing them during a competition after being pressured by peers.

  • [32:11] “I was an idiot, a complete idiot to try something without testing it before in the world championship… I had a blackout. And my dive was amazing.” — Vitamir Maricic
  • [31:07] “I have tested it in a pool out of curiosity. I haven’t seen any performance enhancing elements. In fact, I had a feeling that my motivation and performance is decreased.” — Vitamir Maricic

• Allegations from Others: Lydia puts forward additional rumors—taking excessive benzos, encouraging students to try them, etc.—which Vitamir dismisses as fabricated or exaggerated.

  • [33:45] “I really think our response is not necessary. If you take something, why would you take six?” — Vitamir Maricic

7. Voices from the Community: Talia Davydoff

• Loyalty and Skepticism: Talia, a student, defends Vitamir’s integrity, character, and the training camp’s methods, while suggesting jealousy and confirmation bias fuel the attacks.

  • [35:39] “Vito is… the person that you feel incredibly… I feel incredibly safe in the water with… he’s not there to make you feel good about yourself. That’s not his job.” — Talia Davydoff
  • [37:00] “We’ve got confirmation bias now. We’ve got gatekeeping on what free diving is… Everyone has to be defined in opposition to something.” — Talia Davydoff

• A Villain for Every Community:

  • [38:09] “Every community needs a villain.” — Talia Davydoff

8. The Bigger Picture: Safety, Regulation, and the Future

• New Scandals & Systemic Failures: Lydia reports new safety failures at major competitions—serious injuries, decompression illness, and organizational errors—underscoring that regulatory systems are not keeping pace with risk.

  • [39:00+] Reports of major mishaps at CMAS and AIDA World Championships, illustrating governing bodies’ limits.

• Reflection and Call for Unity: Gard urges the freediving elite and regulators to look beyond personal egos and divisions and prioritize safety, fairness, and the sport’s sustainability.

  • [41:45] “Because at 100 metres deep, the water won’t distinguish between good and bad practice, truth or lies. It will just pull you down.” — Nadia Gard (host, concluding statement)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the culture of concealment:
  “Rules. And the community is kind of shaped around hiding that rather than speaking about it, which in my opinion, is very wrong.” — Vitamir Maricic [08:39]

• On performance-enhancement and the ethics of fair play:
  “If someone would find something… legal in all aspects, I would be careful in judging them… it’s the flaw of the system, not of the person exploiting that.” — Vitamir Maricic [25:29]

• On organizational failures:
  “It’s clear the people who make the rules in our sport… are failing.” — Lydia Gard [39:30]

• On polarization of the freediving community:
  “We’ve got confirmation bias now. We’ve got gatekeeping on what freediving is… Everyone has to be defined in opposition to something.” — Talia Davydoff [37:00]

• Philosophical closing:
  “At 100 metres deep, the water won’t distinguish between good and bad practice, truth or lies. It will just pull you down.” — Nadia Gard [41:45]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:16] – Gard introduces interview process with Vitamir and initial skepticism
• [04:27] – Vitamir recounts childhood dream and sporting approach
• [07:57] – Debate around the viral accident video; talking safety vs. spectacle
• [11:31] – Discussion of Vertical Blue bag search and resulting suspicion
• [15:52] – Admission of banned medication in luggage, for emergencies
• [19:41] – Benzodiazepines: presence, claimed use, doctor’s criticism
• [25:29] – Fair play, legality, and limits of the rules
• [31:07–32:11] – Vitamir admits to once trying benzos in competition, recounts context
• [35:39] – Talia Davydoff’s defense of Vitamir and critique of community division
• [39:00+] – New scandals, diving regulation failures
• [41:45] – Gard’s closing monologue on safety, truth, and the sport’s future

Conclusion: Tone and Final Thoughts

With frank, sometimes combative dialogue, this episode exposes the complexity, infighting, and real human stakes behind freediving’s tranquil façade. Gard’s tone is probing but empathetic; Maricic is defensive, passionate, and occasionally philosophical; Talia injects loyalty and texture. The episode leaves the listener with more questions than answers—about the boundaries between legal and moral responsibility, community self-policing, and the dangers of unchecked ambition in extreme sport.

The message is clear: As freediving continues its rapid evolution, the challenge isn’t just going deeper—it's forging unity, transparency, and responsibility in an inherently risky pursuit.