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Olympic coach sacked by Swimming Australia after ‘Go Korea’ comments in Paris
By Tom Decent
Swimming Australia (SA) has sacked Olympic coach Michael Palfrey, effective immediately, after “un-Australian” comments made at the Games in Paris where he declared he wanted to see a South Korean athlete he was helping beat Australian stars in the pool.
This masthead broke the news on the eve of the Games that Palfrey had been asked for a please explain from team officials for remarks he made at an impromptu media conference with South Korean reporters at the Olympic warm-up pool in the days before competition.
Palfrey said he hoped world champion swimmer Kim Woo-min, who he was advising at the time, would defeat Australian medal hopefuls Elijah Winnington and Sam Short in the men’s 400m freestyle on night one in Paris.
“I really hope he can win, but ultimately, I really hope he swims well,” Palfrey said in an interview observed and recorded by this masthead.
“We need Woo-min to lift, that’s what I’ll be saying to him. He’s got to race tough.”
At the end of the five-minute exchange, Palfrey, wearing an official Australian shirt as a member of the coaching staff, said: “Go Korea.”
Australian swimming coach Michael Palfrey at the Olympics in Paris. Credit: Eddie Jim
SA was unaware of the remarks until contacted by this masthead and later deemed it to be a conflict of interest given coaches were told they had to end any association with non-Australian swimmers in March, four months before the Olympics.
“Swimming Australia has terminated Michael Palfrey’s employment due to a breach of his employment agreement,” the governing body confirmed to this masthead on Friday.
“Palfrey was found to have breached his employment contract by bringing himself into disrepute and causing serious damage to his and Swimming Australia’s reputation, and adversely affecting Swimming Australia’s interests.
“CEO Rob Woodhouse confirmed Palfrey’s employment has ended effective immediately and the process to find a successor for Palfrey at USC Spartans has begun.
“Palfrey retains his coach accreditation status. Swimming Australia will be making no further comment.”
Palfrey was looking after swimmers Zac Incerti, Abbey Connor, Alex Perkins and Sam Williamson at the Olympics.
This masthead also published email correspondence from Swimming Australia to coaches that showed Palfrey breached a formal request from SA in March to disassociate with overseas swimmers before the Games.
He will lose his six-figure Swimming Australia salary and his role at USC Spartans on the Sunshine Coast.
Palfrey said at the Olympics he hoped South Korean swimmer Kim Woo-min would win gold – even though he was swimming against two Australians.
Head coach Rohan Taylor and the Australian Olympic Committee admonished Palfrey for his comments but allowed him to remain in Paris with the team.
“It’s just un-Australian, to be honest. I’m not here to defend that,” Taylor said at the Olympics. “As far as what happens post the Games, that will be dealt with.
“I’m 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 for that will be coming in the future when we get back home.”
Australian chef de mission Anna Meares said in July at a press conference: “This is a conflict and a serious error of judgment.”
Kim Woo-min finished third in the 400m freestyle, ahead of Short, who was world champion in 2023. Winnington, who Palfrey apologised to for the remarks, took silver.
Palfrey also said in the interview, which took place after Australia’s coaches and athletes had already left for the village after training: “I’m very good friends with the Australian coaches and swimmers but I have really enjoyed coaching Kim as well.
“All the information that I sent through and information I get back has been very valuable for me to determine what type of training that Kim still needs to be doing.
“Initially, we had meetings with the coaches and Kim every week.
“I’ve always consistently seen a steady improvement over the last six months. We’re excited to see how fast Kim can swim.”
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