Shockwaves: Canadian legend put in charge of Swimming Australia

Swimming Australia has turned to a Canadian legend to help navigate its way out of the turbulence from the global pandemic and murky doping issues.

Former Canadian Olympic champion Alex Baumann has been appointed as Swimming Australia’s new chief executive.

Currently in charge of the Australian high performance program, Baumann will take over his new role in May, replacing Leigh Russell, who quit suddenly last year.

Baumann won two gold medals – both in world record time – in individual medley for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics but has since forged a successful career in sports administration, holding key positions in Australia, Canada and New Zealand over more than two decades.

Alex Baumann wins gold at the 1984 Olympic Games.

“He is highly regarded, not just within Swimming Australia, but with all our member organisations and impressed us with his vision for our sport,” Swimming Australia President Kieren Perkins said.

“His current role means he already has an important strategic influence on the organisation and we are very excited to see him transition into the CEO role.

“One of the first jobs Alex will undertake is a strategic review of the business with an eye on Paris and beyond.”

Although he swam for Canada, Baumann now calls Australia home.

A former executive director for the Queensland Academy of Sport and CEO of Queensland Swimming, he married an Australian, Tracey Taggart, who he met at the 1982 Commonwealth Games and their two children were both born on the Gold Coast.

“We are Australia’s most successful Olympic sport, but I want to see us become a leading sport within the fabric of the country,” Baumann said.

Baumann pictured in 2015 during his stint with Sport New Zealand.

Baumann in 1996 after joining the Queensland Institute of Sport.

“Having led our high performance team for the past few years, of which I am extremely proud, it is great to be able to put my CEO hat on again and take on the role leading the organisation into the future.”

Swimming Australia has already undergone massive changes at the top in the past year after the sudden exit of three leaders, including Russell, who stepped down at the end of November.

Perkins is another recent appointment, having taken over as president when John Bertrand departed last year after seven years at the helm, while Rohan Taylor has also only recently taken over as head coach after Jacco Verhaeren announced he was returning to Europe for family reasons after the Tokyo Olympics were postponed 12 months.

Swimming Australia has undergone massive cultural changes in recent years after the “toxic culture” of the sport was exposed during the 2012 London Olympics but came under fire last year when it was revealed Australia’s Shayna Jack had tested positive to a banned substance after Mack Horton’s podium protest at Sun Yang’s participation at the world championships.

Swimming Australia have always maintained they were following all the right protocols by not disclosing the real reason behind Jack’s mysterious decision to leave the team – but the organisation was accused by China of double standards.

The global pandemic has only added to the turbulence in the sport, with the sport forced to make some tough decisions about cost-cutting but there is brighter news on the competitive front with Australia confident of a strong showing at this year’s rescheduled Olympics after scooping up 19 medals in the pool at the 2019 world championships.