Olympic coach SACKED by furious Swimming Australia after bizarre ‘Go Korea’ comments at Paris Games
- Coach Michael Palfrey sacked by Swimming Australia
- ‘Go Korea’ shouted during interview at Paris Olympics
- Was employed by Swimming Australia as a full-time coach
- Palfrey was also the mentor of South Korean Kim Woo-min
Swimming Australia has sacked Olympic coach Michael Palfrey after bizarre comments during the Paris Olympics. Palfrey had said he wanted to see a South Korean athlete beat his Australian rivals in the pool.
Head coach Rohan Taylor at the time called Palfrey’s choice of words “un-Australian”.
Palfrey told stunned reporters he hoped world swimming champion Kim Woo-min – whom he separately advised as a mentor – would beat Australian medal contenders Elijah Winnington and Sam Short in the men’s 400m freestyle final at La Défense Arena.
“I really hope he wins, but ultimately I just hope he swims well,” Palfrey is reported to have said.
“We need Woo-min to lift, that’s what I’ll tell him. He has to race hard.”
Amazingly, Palfrey, who was wearing an official Australia shirt as a member of the coaching staff, said: ‘Go Korea.’
“Swimming Australia has terminated the employment of Michael Palfrey due to a breach of his employment agreement,” the umbrella organisation told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘Palfrey has breached his employment contract by bringing himself into disrepute and causing serious damage to his reputation and that of Swimming Australia, and by prejudicing the interests of Swimming Australia.
Swimming Australia has sacked Olympic coach Michael Palfrey after bizarre comments during the Paris Games where he said he wanted to see a South Korean athlete beat rival Australian stars in the pool
Head coach Rohan Taylor at the time called Palfrey’s choice of words “un-Australian” and said the matter would be “dealt with” after Paris
Finally, South Korean Kim Woo-min came third in the 400m freestyle behind Australian Elijan Winnington, who took silver. The final was won by Germany’s Lukas Märtens
CEO Rob Woodhouse confirmed that Palfrey’s employment has been terminated effective immediately and that the process to find a successor for Palfrey at USC Spartans has begun.
‘Palfrey will retain his coaching accreditation status. Swimming Australia will not be commenting further.’
In addition to losing his six-figure salary at Swimming Australia, Palfrey has also been relieved of his duties at USC Spartans on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
In Paris, Palfrey was criticised by an angry Taylor and the Australian Olympic Committee for his contradictory comments.
Palfrey remained in Paris for the Games amid fears the incident would distract the Dolphins swimming team if he were sent home in disgrace.
“It’s just un-Australian, to be honest. I’m not here to defend that,” Taylor said at the Olympics.
‘What happens after the Games is being considered.
“I am very critical of him. I was angry. I made sure he knew that. I believe it was a very bad error of judgment and the consequences of that will come in the future when we are back home.”
In July, Australian chief of mission Anna Meares called Palfrey’s comments “a conflict and a serious error of judgment”.
Ultimately, South Korea’s Woo-min finished third in the 400m freestyle, behind Winnington, who took silver.
The final was won by the German Lukas Märtens.