Briefly:
Australian coach Michael Palfrey advised South Korean media he hopes Kim Woo-min will win the lads’s 400 metres freestyle forward of two Australian swimmers.
Palfrey has been concerned within the teaching of Kim, who’s the world champion within the occasion.
What’s subsequent?
Swimming Australia will resolve if it takes any disciplinary motion.
An Australian Olympic swim coach is dealing with sanction for publicly stating he hopes a star South Korean athlete defeats Sam Brief and Elijah Winnington on the Paris Video games.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Michael Palfrey advised South Korean media in Paris he hoped world champion Kim Woo-min would win the lads’s 400 metres freestyle forward of Australian duo Brief and Winnington.
In response to The Sydney Morning Herald, Palfrey was sporting Australian staff colors and mentioned “Go Korea” on the conclusion of the interview.
ABC Sport will likely be reside running a blog every single day of the Paris Olympics from July 27
Palfrey, certainly one of eight coaches on the Australian squad, has advised staff officers he was “very sorry” for his feedback.
Australia’s Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares mentioned Palfrey’s feedback have been “a battle and a severe error of judgement”.
“He’s very conscious and really sorry for what has occurred,” Meares advised reporters in Paris on Thursday.
Swimming Australia head coach Rohan Taylor will resolve any disciplinary motion.
Meares mentioned Taylor can be backed by Australian Olympic officers.
“We cannot be stepping in excessive of Swimming Australia,” Meares mentioned.
“We will likely be working with them and any choice that they make, we are going to assist.”
Palfrey works with Australian swimmers Zac Incerti, Abbey Connor and Alex Perkins.
He has additionally mentored South Korean swimmers in Brisbane, together with Kim.
Kim gained the lads’s 400m freestyle at February’s world championships in Qatar, with Winnington ending second.
Brief claimed gold on the 2023 world titles in Fukuoka, with Kim and Winnington inserting fifth and seventh respectively.
Australian coaches have been advised in March to finish any affiliation with non-Australian swimmers earlier than the Paris Olympics.
Meares mentioned Palfrey’s feedback and whether or not he was nonetheless concerned with Korean swimmers have been each problematic points.
“They each carry related weight,” she mentioned.
“However the truth that he is commented in regards to the athlete successful towards the Australian staff, that is the larger challenge.”
Taylor, who’s overseeing the eight different coaches on the Australian swimming staff, will converse to the media afterward Thursday.
The boys’s 400m freestyle closing will likely be held Sunday morning, Australian time.
AAP/ABC
