- Coach Michael Palfrey has been sacked by the Australian Swimming Federation
- They declared ‘Go Korea’ during an interview at the Paris Olympics
- He was employed by Swimming Australia as a full-time coach.
- Palfrey also mentored South Korea’s Kim Woo-min.
Australian swimming has sacked Olympic coach Michael Palfrey following bizarre comments at the Paris Games, where he said he wanted to see a South Korean athlete beat his Australian rival stars in the pool.
At the time, head coach Rohan Taylor called Palfrey’s choice of words “un-Australian”.
Palfrey told bemused reporters he expected world champion swimmer Kim Woo-min – whom he was separately mentoring – to beat Australian medal hopefuls Elijah Winnington and Sam Short in the men’s 400m freestyle final at La Défense Arena.
“I really hope she can win, but ultimately I really hope she swims well,” Palfrey reportedly said.
“We need Woo-min to step up, that’s what I’ll tell him. He has to compete hard.”
Surprisingly, Palfrey, who was wearing an official Australian jersey as a member of the coaching staff, said: “Go Korea.”
‘Swimming Australia has dismissed Michael Palfrey due to a breach of his employment contract,’ the governing body said. The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘Palfrey was found to have breached his contract of employment by bringing himself into disrepute and causing serious harm to his own reputation and that of Swimming Australia, and by adversely affecting the interests of Swimming Australia.
Australian swimming has sacked Olympic coach Michael Palfrey following bizarre comments at the Paris Games in which he said he wanted to see a South Korean athlete beat his Australian rivals in the pool.
At the time, head coach Rohan Taylor called Palfrey’s choice of words “un-Australian” and said the matter would be “resolved” after Paris.
South Korea’s Kim Woo-min finished third in the 400m freestyle, behind Australia’s Elijan Winnington, who took silver. The final was won by Germany’s Lukas Märtens.
‘CEO Rob Woodhouse confirmed that Palfrey’s employment has ended effective immediately and that the process has begun to find a successor for Palfrey at USC Spartans.
‘Palfrey retains his accredited coaching status. Swimming Australia will not be commenting further.’
As well as losing his six-figure salary from Swimming Australia, Palfrey has also been relieved of his role with USC Spartans on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
In Paris, a furious Taylor and the Australian Olympic Committee criticised Palfrey for her contradictory comments.
Palfrey stayed in Paris for the Games as there were concerns the incident could be a distraction to the Dolphins swim team if he was sent home in disgrace.
“To be honest, this is not Australia’s thing. I’m not here to defend it,” Taylor said at the Olympics.
‘As for what happens after the Games, that will be discussed.
“I’m very critical of him. He was angry. I made sure he knew that. I think it was a very serious error in judgment and the consequences of that will be seen in the future when we return home.”
In July, Australian head of mission Anna Meares called Palfrey’s comments “conflictive and a serious error of judgment.”
South Korea’s Woo-min finished third in the 400m freestyle, behind Winnington, who took silver.
The final was won by German Lukas Märtens.