SYDNEY, Australia, December 15. THE Associated Press released an article earlier this week concerning the extreme actions taken by Australian coach Rohan Taylor.
An Australian Navy Physical Trainer and not coach Taylor conducted a military-style boot camp for coach Taylor's athletes where a faux 9 mm pistol was involved. Images have arisen showing the Navy Trainer conducting mock executions of the swimmers. Those images were published depicting the Trainer holding the pistol to the heads of kneeling swimmers.
Australian swim officials had the following responses.
“These images are nothing short of appalling, insulting, embarrassing and are unequivocally unacceptable,” said Glenn Tasker, Chief Executive Officer of Swimming Australia, the national swimming association.
“Tough training regimes are part of our sport, but there is a line you don’t cross … I was shocked to see some of these activities, and I want to stress that they are not in any way endorsed by Swimming Australia."
Some elite level swimmers had been participating in this boot camp style environment and Tasker along with head Australian coach Alan Thompson considered the actions a “significant error in judgement.”
Taylor has apologized and said this would not occur again. Swimming Australia said the issue would be discussed with the Australian Swimming Teachers and Coaches Association to avoid any similar situations.