Swim Ireland (SI) have said their priority is to offer appropriate support and to co-operate with An Garda Síochána following the suspension of one of their coaches.

The male coach was recently asked to stand down from a position of teaching minor swimmers in a Dublin pool.

It is understood that a whistleblower, who was part of the group of swimmers, brought an allegation of inappropriate behaviour to the attention of SI.

The coach was subsequently removed from the position and is currently under suspension from the national governing body.

A report was filed with swimming’s Child Protection Officer and the matter was handed over to the Garda, who are actively conducting an investigation.

Swim Ireland has written to a Dublin swimming club where the coach had also been working and informed them of the suspension and the Garda enquiry.

As of this week only one complaint has been made, although the Garda investigation is not yet complete.

It is believed that the allegation made was over a recording device or devices used in the building in which the swimmers were training.

“A matter was raised with our National Children’s Officer, who in line with our procedures contacted the statutory authorities straight away,” SI said in a statement.

“The matter is now being investigated by the Gardai and the coach has been suspended.”

In October 2020, SI accepted the resignation of one of their 12 board members, John Mullins, following the airing of an episode of the BBC podcast “Where is George Gibney”, which looked into previous controversies.

The Gibney podcast, produced by Mark Horgan of Second Captains and documentary-maker Ciarán Cassidy, examined the child abuse controversy and fallout involving Ireland’s former Olympic swimming coach.

Mullins stated in the BBC Sounds podcast that he provided Gibney’s bail set by Judge Hamill in Dún Laoghaire District Court in April 1993, when Gibney first appeared to face 27 counts of indecency and carnal knowledge of children in 1993.

At the time Mullins was one of two assistant coaches to Gibney at the Trojan Swimming club in Dublin.

Gibney, who was 45-years-old at the time, evaded justice in Ireland and subsequently left the country for Scotland and the USA following a Supreme Court decision in 1994 that ordered he could not face trial. Time elapsed and specificity of the alleged offences were the primary reasons for Gibney’s release.

“All relevant protocols are active and our priority is to offer appropriate support and to co-operate with the Gardai investigation,” added Swim Ireland.

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