The Aussie swim coach advising a Korean rival

ABC listen podcasts radio news music and [Music] [Applause] [Applause] more that is South Korean swimmer Kim wo Min beating Australian Elijah Winnington at the world Champs earlier this year Kim is up against Winnington and Sam short on the opening day of Olympic competition for the 400 meter freestyle how would those Australians feel if they learned a member of the Dolphins coaching staff had been advising SL coaching the Korean because that's exactly what's happened on the eve of the swim meate it's blindsided swimming Australia resulting in crisis talks and please explains we haven't even had the opening ceremony and we already have a swim controversy story I'm Patrick stack this is ABC Sport Daily Tom Deon is a journalist with nine papers he has broken the story that you are about to hear probably the first Scandal of the Olympics from an Aussie perspective Tom can you tell me who is Kim wo Min Kim Wu Min is a South Korean freestyle Sumer and is the reigning world champion in the 400 meters freestyle event which which on the opening night of Olympic competition a couple of Australians Sam short and Elijah Winnington will be vying for that gold medal Sam short makes a big statement new world champion in the for and freestyle 19-year-old Sam short he absolutely loves it this boy just oozes confidence obviously South Korean coached you know overseas and we're very much fing for that gold medal but has worked very closely with an Australian coach Michael palfrey in recent times times and yeah an interesting interview poolside a couple of days ago to South Korean media which we stumbled upon which might sort of indicate that maybe there's something a little bit more to this story can you expand on paly's relationship with Kim Woo Min so Michael palfrey has worked with Kim wuin last year as well our understanding is up until early this year at the world swimming Champs in Doha they were in in contact and and Michael was helping out with some programs with kimw Min and swimming Australia was under the impression that those ties had been cut in March which when swimming Australia issued a directive saying that we basically don't want any of our coaches interacting or dealing with International swimmers to protect our integrity or the rest but it's become pretty apparent that Michael palfrey has been interacting with kimin and has said that he believes he can you know beat the likes of Sam short and Elijah Winnington at the upcoming Olympics and also said that he'll be giving him advice on how to win that race so yeah there's definitely question marks around what has gone on here and in terms of him giving a bit of advice to the South Koreans and he's been issued with basically please explain from swimming a and this Olympic Committee so yeah a little bit of work to go on this story but yeah Michael I don't think in his interview with South Korean media I don't think it's gone down well very well with the power Brokers that be what did he say in the interview that was something of a red flag look I think the fact that the AOC has said this was a serious error judgment would indicate the severity of what he has said but look ultimately he has said that he believes that South Grand swimmer can win this event currently South Korea is experiencing a Renaissance in men swimming with stars such as kimin and hangu leading a golden generation aiming for their best ever performance in this Olympics kimin a strong Contender for the gold medal in the 400 me of freestyle as one of the leaders and hopes that this swimmer can win this event against the Australian which is a bit of a awkward situation even you know that he's on the Australian swimming team coaching staff and there are a number of other coaches who are on that team who I don't think would be super impressed with that um said that he would be giving them advice on how to do that as well and and sort of went into the the Deep dive around you know having worked with with Kim for a long time and you know wanting to see world records and speaking to South Kore management about his program and how he's going so look to be honest I think it's just blindsided to people in Australian swimming and AOC as well on this front and I don't think they knew the full extent of this from Michael and well I know he definitely was hauled into a bit of a please explain meeting with head coach Ron Taylor today and as we stand there will be a little bit more information tomorrow morning but the AOC has come out very hard tonight on him what's the official line from the AOC and what do you think happens next for Michael look the a has given the herald and the age a statement basically saying that we're aware mixed comments but I think important to note that quote the AOC the remarks are deeply concerning and and represent a serious era of judgment the AOC is working with swimming Australia to gain further information before making decisions so look reading between the lines when we wake up tomorrow morning I think the AOC and swimming Australia will have some meetings with some key swimmers who Michael has on the Australian swimming team he has about three swimmers who are buying for medals I don't think they will win medals you know he has them on the team a conversation would need need to happen as to whether what Michael said in that in that interview with South Korean media and the herald there that you know whether he needs to be sent home or reprimanded or all the rest but you like I think this does raise questions about a conflict of interest and I I can tell you that swimming Australia not true about the issue Elijah Winnington he's going to Prevail 20 years on from for p going one two in aens Winnington and short had the same chance in Paris what a race talk to me about how you think Elijah Winnington Sam short and indeed other swim coaches on the Dolphins might be reacting to this news I know for a fact that their coaches um Dam Jones and and Dean boxel are not thrilled about this according to people that we have spoken to as well and you got to remember that Michael palfrey has been in australi Camp for a number of weeks with these swimmers who are doing their thing so swimming austral made a very clear months ago that if you're if you're on board and you're on board so you know you have to cut ties with all your International swimmers and if you're in a Dolphins team you are fully immersed in trying to help the Australian swimming team win as many gold medals as possible and you know the fact that a South Korean swimmer could win a gold medal on the night of competition I don't think sits well with their run so it's definitely a talking point and look I think there's a little bit more to run on this story but certainly it caught swimming Australia very off guard today when when all this came to life the last thing you want on the eve of an Olympic game is any form of Scandal any form of distraction do you think that this has got the potential to somewhat derail the Australians campaigns early stages I think the fact that Michael doesn't have huge number of high profile Summers would indicate that it wouldn't affect the team too much if indeed he sent home which I'm not sure if that's the case but the AFC will make a call on that tomorrow we're Supreme athletes this is what we train for um so uh yeah it's good it's good to race my program is very much like this in power so I mean you've got no choice you just got to knuckle down and get up do with the job look I think it'll be it's definitely a talking point it's not ideal that we as who will get you know asked about the issue and I guess the question is whether kimw races against Australians on Saturday night and wins those races like if he won the 400 freestyle that would be a big story for sure but I don't think it has the potential to derail the team but I do think that swimming Australia were blindsided by this asked Michael today to be a little bit up front about what was going on and whether he was involved with the Koreans at the moment and every indication of swimming Australia and the AOC indicates that perhaps there's a little bit more to this story so a little bit of a way to run but I don't think everything is happening campus right at the moment Tom daon it's a fascinating Yar thanks for sharing it with us all good cheers headlines if you thought it was early for an Olympic Scandal well we've got a couple for you actually there's been chaotic scenes in the men's soccer Argentina thought they'd scored an injury time equalizer against Morocco that saw fans throw bulk bottles onto the pitch storm the field after 2 hours of crowd control the goal was ruled out by V and the final 3 minutes of the game were played in an empty Stadium Morocco Victorious 2-1 elsewhere Israel's national anthem was Jered as their men's soccer team ready to play their opener against Marley There were pretty nasty scenes as security needed to intervene as fans clashed in the crowd for the host nation the big news is French athlete Sun bailla who says she's been barred from attending the Olympic opening ceremony due to wearing a hij the French Olympic Committee says it has a principle of secularism which includes a ban on hijabs the two parties are apparently trying to talk it out and find a solution the 26-year-old is a 400 meter relay runner in the French athletic team three-time equestrian Olympic gold medalist Charlotte du jardan has pulled out of the Paris games why well video emerged of the rider repeatedly whipping a horse in a private coaching session the emergence of this video ended Charlotte dardan's hopes of competing in the Summer Olympics in it she repeatedly beats a she's training with a long whip a complaint was lodged on Monday that Training Method has been deemed inappropriate by the Federation for equestrian Sports the body handed her a provisional suspension but the Brit has withdrawn in any case let's finish with a pallet cleanser and canu Jess Fox and hockey player Eddie enden have been now as official flag bearers for the Australian team at the opening ceremony obviously that French Connection is is very strong and it's such a wonderful special unique moment to be able to bring my two cultures together the French the Australian and to lead us out and present us to Paris present us to the world leading out this Australian Olympic team in Paris 2024 and you know visualizing those incredible moments over the next two weeks that will happen just give me goosebumps this is fox's fourth Olympics while Paris will be oken's fifth games I'm Patrick stack this is ABC Sport Daily produced by Jason Ford thanks to channel 9 Good Morning Britain and arang news from South Korea for the extra audio used in this episode discover more great ABC podcasts live radio and exclusives on the ABC listen app