Swimming Australia Dismisses Coach Michael Palfrey
09/05/2024 08:33 PM
By Retta Race on SwimSwam
With the Paris Olympic Games in the rearview mirror, Swimming Austalia has terminated coach Michael Palfrey‘s employment.
Swimming Australia says Palfrey was ‘found to have breached his employment contract by bringing himself into disrepute and causing serious damage to his and Swimming Australia's reputation, and adversely affecting Swimming Australia's interests.’
Although not specified in the statement, the breach most likely stems from the situation that we reported last month while Palfrey was on the nation’s Olympic coaching staff.
Prior to the start of the Games, Palfrey, who works with Korean 400m free ace Kim Woomin in addition to Dolphins at USC Spartans, said of that event's prospects in Paris, "I think it's going to come down to that last 100 meters.
“We need Woomin to lift, that's what I'll be saying to him. He's got to race tough."
He also reportedly stated, "Go Korea". (Fox Sports)
At the time Aussie head coach RohanTaylor stated Palfrey’s words were ‘very disappointing.’
“It’s extremely disappointing for a coach on our team to promote another athlete ahead of our athlete; it is not acceptable.”
In the statement from Swimming Australia released today, CEORob Woodhouseconfirmed Palfrey's employment has ended effective immediately and the process to finding a successor for Palfrey at USC Spartans has begun.
Palfrey retains his coach accreditation status.
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