What is it about Australian swimmers and comebacks? Do they feel so deprived of relevance out here on on terra firma that they have to make a splash with newspaper headlines only a year or two after retiring?

Michael Klim is set to be the fourth Athens Olympian to don the Speedos competitively again, his decision coming hard on the flippers of Ian Thorpe's celebrated return last week, having been inspired (probably) by Geoff Huegill's Biggest Loser feats and Delhi Commonwealth Games heroics.

Now Klim seems like a decent bloke. Whenever I see him these days, he's always smiling broadly in the social pages, standing next to his wife at some corporate shindig or exhibition opening or catwalk show.

So there's no reason to wish him any ill-will. Except for this little tid-bit of information a fair way down in the Fairfax Sunday newspaper article which flagged his possible return to the pool.

''It is also believed Klim has recorded the trials and tribulations of returning at 33 years of age for a documentary being prepared for pay TV .....''

That got the alarm bells ringing.

So, are we being taken for a patsy here, or what? Is Klim returning to the pool because he genuinely thinks he can help Australia's chances of a relay medal at the London Olympics, or because he wants to star in his own reality TV show and keep his name up in lights?

He's got a skincare range of products to flog, after all, and endorsements to give for Speedo and Mitch Dowd's 'fertility-friendly' underpants. He can't do that successfully if no-one knows who he is. He's got to keep the Klim 'brand' relevant.

More details emerged today: the swimmer has been secretly filming his training for a documentary with radio host and film-maker Jules Lund. He had planned to eventually break the news of his return via Lund's FM radio show, Fifi & Jules. But leaked newspaper reports at the weekend forced his hand on an announcement this afternoon.

Call me a cynic, but this 'comeback' smacks of a publicity stunt, and one in which we are expected to be participants, oooh-ing and aaah-ing at his made-for-TV, blood-sweat-and-tears - but ultimately futile - attempt to return to big-time swimming.

Klim has been a former world champion, world record holder and Olympic relay gold medallist. He's had a sparkling career which reached its peak at the world championships in Perth in 1998 when he won four gold medals, two silver and a bronze.

But that was 13 years ago.

And when the gun goes off for the first heat in the London Olympic pool on July 28 next year, the Victorian will be almost 35.

When he retired, back in June, 2007, Klim was ranked No.94 in the 100m freestyle, with the Beijing Olympics still 14 months away.

And, what, now he thinks - with the London Games 17 months away - he can seriously take it up to Michael Phelps, Eamonn Sullivan, Alain Bernard and even Huegill himself?

Get off the grass, Mick. But, for your sake - and ours - don't jump back in the pool.