Australian swimming is not a joker when it comes to loyalty to the flag and country. National media reports that a coach of the Olympic team at the 2024 Paris Games, Michael Palfrey, has been fired for publicly expressing his support and encouragement for a South Korean swimmer. Before the 400m freestyle final, the Australian coach told Korean television that he hoped South Korean Kim Woo-min would win, the swimmer eventually winning the bronze medal behind Germany's Lukas Märtens and Australia's Elijah Winnington (pictured above). A second Australian, Sam Short, was also in the final. "I really hope he can win, but I especially hope he swims well", Michael Palfrey said of Kim Woo-min during the interview, before adding: " Go Korea." The Australian coach worked for a while as an advisor to Kim Woo-min, before having to end his collaboration, Swimming Australia having asked all coaches last March to cease any association with non-Australian swimmers. The federation explained in a press release, this Friday, September 6, that it had dismissed Michael Palfrey " due to a violation of his employment contract." It adds that the coach has " discredited, caused serious damage to his reputation and that of Swimming Australia, and adversely affected the interests of Swimming Australia ».
