Swimming Australia

Last updated

Swimming Australia
Swimming Australia logo.svg
IOC nationAUS
National flag Flag of Australia (converted).svg
SportSwimming
Official website www.swimming.org.au
History
Year of formation1909
Former namesAustralian Swimming
Demographics
Number of affiliated Swimming clubs1,100 estimated
Membership size100,000 estimated
Affiliations
International federation Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA)
FINA members page www.fina.org
FINA member since1909
Continental associationOceania Swimming Association
National Olympic Committee Australian Olympic Committee
Member of NOC since1896
National Paralympic Committee Australian Paralympic Committee
Member of NPC since1990
Other affiliation(s)
  • Australian Commonwealth Games Association
Board
PresidentDr Michelle Gallen
Board
  • Annabelle Williams
  • Iain Melhuish
  • Melissa Fein
  • Neil Martin
  • Susan Smith
  • Tim Ford
  • Tony Shaw
  • Michelle Gallen
Organisation Structure
Chief ExecutiveRob Woodhouse [1]
Head CoachRohan Taylor
Finance
SponsorsTech Mahindra / Arena

Swimming Australia is the peak governing body for competitive swimming in Australia. The body has approximately 100,000 registered members nationally in 1100 clubs across the country, which includes swimmers, coaches, officials, administrators and volunteers. The body oversees the management and development of the sport from the national team at the elite level, the conduct of national and international events, through to grass roots participation.

Contents

In 1985, the organisation had approximately 90,000 registered members. [2]

History

Competitive national swimming championships were first held in 1894. Australia had swimmers at most major international swimming events since the 1896 Summer Olympics. [3]

This interest led to the creation of the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia, the precursor to Swimming Australia, which was founded in 1909 at a meeting of state swimming representatives at the Sports Club on Hunter Street in Sydney's CBD. There they established a charter which included the key features of the promotion of uniformity of rules and regulations across Australia; the adjudication all matters of disputes between affiliated associations; the control and management of swimmers visiting Australia; the control and management of Australian representatives in any contest of international nature; and control the recognition of all "best on record" performances. [4]

Within a short time the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia had extended its charter to include negotiation with the recently formed International Swimming Federation (Fédération Internationale de Natation, FINA).

James Taylor was the foundation president and served for the first 35 years of the body's existence from 1909 to 1944.

During 1985, under a new corporate structure, the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia was incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory and became Australian Swimming Inc.

On 1 October 2004, Australian Swimming became a company limited by guarantee and changed its name to Swimming Australia Ltd. [5] Glenn Tasker served as the chief executive officer until June 2008, and the organisation's headquarters is located at Unit 12, 7 Beissel Street, Belconnen, ACT. In 2013, Mark Anderson was appointed CEO.

The Australian Swim Team underwent a rebranding in 2014 and was renamed the Australian Dolphins Swimming Team.

In 2022, it established the Swimming Australia Hall of Fame. [6]

Swimming Australia supports and runs the Swimming Australia National Training Centre at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Australian Swimmers of the Year

Swimming Australia announces a number of awards annually, most notably the Australian Swimmer of the Year Award. [7]

YearWinnerState
1990 Glen Housman Queensland
1991 Hayley Lewis Queensland
1992 Kieren Perkins Queensland
1993Kieren PerkinsQueensland
1994Kieren PerkinsQueensland
1995 Susie O'Neill Queensland
1996Susie O'NeillQueensland
1997 Michael Klim Victoria
1998Michael KlimVictoria
1999 Ian Thorpe New South Wales
2000Ian ThorpeNew South Wales
2001Ian ThorpeNew South Wales
2002Ian ThorpeNew South Wales
2003Ian Thorpe
Grant Hackett
New South Wales
Queensland
2004 Jodie Henry Queensland
2005Grant HackettQueensland
2006 Leisel Jones Queensland
2007 Libby Lenton Queensland
2008 Stephanie Rice Queensland
2009 Jessicah Schipper Queensland
2010 Alicia Coutts Queensland
2011 James Magnussen New South Wales
2012 Alicia Coutts Queensland
2013 Cate Campbell Queensland
2014 Cate Campbell
Bronte Campbell
Queensland
Queensland
2015 Bronte Campbell
Emily Seebohm
Queensland
South Australia
2016 Kyle Chalmers South Australia
2017 Emily Seebohm South Australia
2018 Cate Campbell Queensland
2019 Ariarne Titmus Tasmania
2021 Emma McKeon New South Wales
2022 Mollie O'Callaghan Queensland
2023 Mollie O'Callaghan Queensland

Stakeholders and affiliations

Swimming Australia's key stakeholders includes:

Swimming Australia is affiliated to the following bodies:

Whilst the following organisations are affiliated with Swimming Australia:

Swimming Australia is also a foundation member of AUSTSWIM and is involved in the development of an Australian Water Safety Organisation. [8]

Sexual abuse allegations

In July 2014 the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, a Royal Commission of inquiry initiated in 2013 by the Australian Government and supported by all of its state governments, [9] began an investigation into the responses of the Offices of the Directors of Public Prosecutions in Queensland and New South Wales to determine whether to prosecute allegations of child sexual assault; the response of Scone Swimming Club to the convictions of Stephen John Roser for indecent assault and for committing acts of indecency against a child; and related matters. [10] Six former students, a number of swimming executives, government officials, Margaret Cunneen SC , Anthony Moynihan QC , Nicholas Cowdery QC , Lloyd Babb SC , The Honourable Justice Leanne Clare SC and Paul Rutledge gave evidence or made statements before the Royal Commission. [11] The Royal Commission heard from women who alleged they had been abused as children and that despite informing officials, the alleged perpetrators did not face criminal trial on the basis of recommendations provided by government prosecutors in both New South Wales and Queensland. [12] [13] In April 2015 Swimming Australia president John Bertrand issued an apology to former swim students who were victims of sexual abuse. [14]

Allegations against various swimming coaches were reported as first aired in the media up to ten years earlier; [13] [15] [16] and new cases were alleged following the Royal Commission hearings. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marist Brothers</span> Consecrated religious congregation in the Catholic Church

The Marist Brothers of the Schools, commonly known as simply the Marist Brothers, is an international community of Catholic religious institute of brothers. In 1817, Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist priest from France, founded the Marist Brothers with the goal of educating young people, especially those most neglected. While most of the brothers minister in school settings, others work with young people in parishes, religious retreats and spiritual accompaniment, at-risk youth settings, young adult ministry and overseas missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knox Grammar School</span> Independent, day & boarding school in Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia

Knox Grammar School is an independent Uniting Church day and boarding school for boys, located in Wahroonga, New South Wales, an Upper North Shore suburb of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1924 by the Presbyterian Church of Australia as an all-boys school, and named after John Knox. The school has since grown, branching out into a large Senior School and a Preparatory School, enrolling approximately 2900 students. The school also caters for approximately 160 boarding students from Years 7 to 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill</span> School in Hunters Hill, Lower North Shore, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

St Joseph's College is an independent Roman Catholic single-sex secondary day and boarding school for boys, conducted in the Marist Brothers tradition, located in Hunters Hill, a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Gregory's College, Campbelltown</span> School in Australia

St Gregory's College Campbelltown is an independent Roman Catholic single-sex and co-educational comprehensive and specialist primary and secondary day and boarding school, located in Gregory Hills, near Campbelltown, a south-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. With specialist expertise as an agricultural school, St Gregory's College provides a co-educational environment for students in the Kindergarten to Year 6 primary school; and a boys-only environment for students in the Year 7 to Year 12 secondary schools.

Various individuals, courts and the media around the world have raised concerns about the manner in which cases of child sexual abuse are handled when they occur in congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. An independent 2009 study in Norway was critical of how Jehovah's Witnesses dealt with cases of child sexual abuse but stated there is no indication that the rate of sexual abuse among Jehovah's Witnesses is higher than found in general society. The organization's stated position is that it abhors child sexual abuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marist College Canberra</span> School in Australia

Marist College Canberra is an independent Roman Catholic primary and secondary day school for boys, founded in 1968 by the Marist Brothers. The college is situated on 15 hectares and located in the Canberra suburb of Pearce, in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The college is a member of the Association of Marist Schools of Australia (AMSA) and the Associated Southern Colleges (ASC).

Blind Sports Australia, formerly the Australian Blind Sports Federation (ABSF) was formed in 1980 as the national body to coordinate sport for the blind and vision-impaired in Australia. It encourages and provides access to international competition in world blind and multi-disabled championships for sports recognised by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). BSA is headquartered near Melbourne.

Alan Thompson is a former Australian swimming coach, who was once the head coach of the Australian swimming team. He was appointed to the role in January 2005 following the resignation of Leigh Nugent after the 2004 Athens Olympics. He took a redundancy package from Swimming Australia in January 2010 and Nugent was re-appointed to the role. Thompson was also a school teacher at his former high school, Sir Joseph Banks High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Amateur Swimming Association</span> Former Irish sports organisation

The Irish Amateur Swimming Association (IASA) was the national governing body of swimming in Ireland. The organisation was founded in 1893 and held responsibility for the various aquatic disciplines until it was dissolved in January 1999 following a series of sexual abuse scandals.

Margaret Mary Cunneen SC is an Australian barrister, prosecutor and commissioner of a government inquiry.

The Association of Marist Schools of Australia (MSA) is an organisation that seeks to unite the various schools across Australia which have at any stage in their history been connected to the Australian provinces of the Marist Brothers, Marist Sisters or Marist Fathers, and by that union assist them in the provision of quality Marist education according to the traditions and charism passed down by the founders of the orders, Saint Marcellin Champagnat, Sister Jeanne-Marie Chavoin and Jean-Claude Colin.

The Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Victoria is part of the Catholic clerical sexual abuse in Australia and the much wider Catholic sexual abuse scandal in general, which involves charges, convictions, trials and ongoing investigations into allegations of sex crimes committed by Catholic priests and members of religious orders. The Catholic Church in Victoria has been implicated in a reported 40 suicides among about 620 sexual abuse victims acknowledged to the public after internal investigations by the Catholic Church in Victoria.

Catholic sexual abuse cases in Australia, like Catholic Church sexual abuse cases elsewhere, have involved convictions, trials and ongoing investigations into allegations of sex crimes committed by Catholic priests, members of religious orders and other personnel which have come to light in recent decades, along with the growing awareness of sexual abuse within other religious and secular institutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gymnastics Australia</span> Australian gymnastics governing body

Gymnastics Australia (GA) is the governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Salvation Army, Australia Eastern Territory</span>

The Salvation Army, Australia Eastern Territory or (AUE) was one of two administrative territories that The Salvation Army was divided into within Australia and covered 2 states and 1 Australian territory on the east coast of the country. The AUE was geographically sub-divided into 2 divisions, under different Divisional Commanders, each reporting directly to the Territorial Commander. Its headquarters was located at 261-265 Chalmers St, Redfern NSW 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Salvation Army, Australia Southern Territory</span>

The Salvation Army, Australian Southern Territory or (AUS) was one of two administrative territories. On Friday 30 November 2018, General Brian Peddle announced that the Southern Territory and Eastern Territory were reunited and The Salvation Army in Australia would again be one territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Salvation Army in Australia</span> Evangelical protestant Christian church

The Salvation Army, Australia Territory is an evangelical Protestant Christian church known for its charity work. It began operating in Australia in the late 19th century. There are currently 335 thrift stores and donation bins across Australia.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was a royal commission announced in November 2012 and established in 2013 by the Australian government pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to inquire into and report upon responses by institutions to instances and allegations of child sexual abuse in Australia. The establishment of the commission followed revelations of child abusers being moved from place to place instead of their abuse and crimes being reported. There were also revelations that adults failed to try to stop further acts of child abuse. The commission examined the history of abuse in educational institutions, religious groups, sporting organisations, state institutions and youth organisations. The final report of the commission was made public on 15 December 2017.

The organisation of sport in Australia has been largely determined by its Federal system of government – Australian Government and six states and two territories governments and local governments. All three levels play an important role in terms of funding, policies and facilities. Each major sport is managed by a national sports organisation, with state counterparts that manage community sporting clubs. Umbrella or peak organisations represent the interests of sports organisations or particular sport issues. Education sector plays a small role through universities and schools. Private sector's involvement is extensive in professional sport through facilities, club ownership and finance/sponsorship.

Gregory Joseph Sutton is a convicted paedophile and former member of the Roman Catholic religious order of the Marist Brothers. Sutton taught in Marist Brother schools in Queensland, New South Wales and Canberra between 1973 and 1987 and served more than 12 years in prison for 67 offences against children.

References

  1. "Swimming Australia Lands a Major Coup with Rob Woodhouse Appointed New CEO". 7 February 2024.
  2. Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. p.  187. ISBN   0-644-03667-2.
  3. Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. p.  186. ISBN   0-644-03667-2.
  4. "Organisational History" (PDF). Swimming Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
  5. "Neil Martin takes reins over Swimming Australia". Xinhua. 18 September 2004. Archived from the original on 9 October 2004. Retrieved 4 February 2007.
  6. "Swimming Legends To Be Celebrated In New Hall Of Fame". Swimming Australia. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  7. "Swimmer of the Year". Swimming Australia. 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  8. "About AUSTSWIM". AUSTSWIM. Archived from the original on 28 January 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2007.
  9. "Letters Patent". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  10. "Case Study 15, July 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  11. "Witness List and Order". Public hearing into the response of swimming organisations and the New South Wales and Queensland Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions into allegations of child sexual abuse. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  12. Donovan, Samantha (7 July 2014). "Royal Commission to examine Swimming Australia child sex abuse cases". AM ABC Radio . Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  13. 1 2 Gilbert, Julie (8 July 2014). "A victim of alleged sexual abuse by her swim coach talks to 7.30". 7.30 (Interview). Interviewed by Adam Harvey. ABC TV . Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  14. Balym, Todd (1 April 2015). "Swimming Australia president John Bertrand apologises to sport's sexual abuse victims". The Courier-Mail . Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  15. "Australian Olympic swim team 'sex abuse cover up'". The Daily Telegraph . 7 December 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  16. Cowley, Michael; Mahar, Jessica (9 December 2009). "Second swimmer steps forward with abuse claims against a coach". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  17. Halloran, Jessica (23 November 2014). "Swimming Australia to investigate sexual abuse claims against a former coach". The Sunday Telegraph . Retrieved 17 May 2015.