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An Australian Olympic swimming coach is facing a ban for publicly declaring he hopes a star South Korean athlete will beat the Dolphins at the Paris Games.
Michael Palfrey, one of eight coaches on the Dolphins team, told Australian officials he was “very sorry” for his comments to Korean media.
Palfrey told Korean television he expects South Korea’s Kim Woo-min to win the men’s 400m freestyle in Paris, an event that features Australian duo Sam Short and Elijah Winnington.
“I really hope she can win, but ultimately I hope she swims well,” Palfrey told Korean media, before ending the interview by saying: “Let’s go Korea.”
Australian Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares said Palfrey’s comments were “conflictive and a serious error of judgement”.
“He is very conscious and very remorseful about what happened,” Meares told reporters in Paris on Thursday.
Australian swimming head coach Rohan Taylor will decide any disciplinary action which Meares said would be supported by the Australian team hierarchy.
“We’re not going to override Swimming Australia,” Meares said.
Australian swimming coach Michael Palfrey (pictured right) is in hot water after saying he expects a Korean swimmer to win gold against a pair of Australians.
Palfrey told Korean television reporters he expected world champion Kim Woo-min (pictured) to beat Australians Sam Short and Elijah Winnington in the 400m freestyle.
Anna Meares said she will leave the decision on Palfrey’s fate to Swimming Australia
“We will work with them and support whatever decision they make.”
Palfrey works with Australian swimmers Zac Incerti, Abbey Connor and Alex Perkins.
He has also mentored South Korean swimmers in Brisbane, including Kim, who won the 400m freestyle at the world championships in Qatar in February.
In March, Australian coaches were ordered to end any association with non-Australian swimmers before the Paris Olympics.
Meares said Palfrey’s comments and whether he was still involved with Korean swimmers were problematic issues.
“They both have a similar weight,” he said.
“But the fact that he said the athlete won against the Australian team, that’s the biggest problem.”
Taylor, the head coach who oversees the eight other coaches on the Australian swim team, will hold a news conference later on Thursday.