‘Un-Australian’: Swim coach learns Olympic fate after ‘go Korea’ gaffe

Australian swimming coach Michael Parley has had his fate decided in the wake of his controversial remarks during an interview.

Rohan Taylor has put Michael Palfrey in his place. Photo: Getty Images and YouTube

Australian swimming coach Michael Palfrey has been labelled “un-Australian” after he told South Korean media he was cheering for a South Korean swimmer in Paris.

The storm erupted on Thursday after Palfrey, who is one of eight coaches for the Dolphins, said he wanted 22-year-old South Korean star Kim Woo-min to claim gold in the 400m freestyle, despite Aussie athletes Sam Short and Elijah Winnington both swimming in the event.

Despite his comments being savaged by Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) bosses, Palfrey was advised on Friday morning (AEST) that he wouldn’t be sent home from Paris.

“With regards to Michael Palfrey and his comments of support to the Korean athlete, Kim Woo-min, this is a conflict and a serious error of judgment,” Meares told a media conference on Thursday.

“Any decision that we make two days out from the start of the Dolphins campaign needs to have the athletes in the conversation.

“Like a lot of people, it was a surprise and a shock. My first thoughts went to the athletes and the welfare of the athletes.”

It comes after an AOC spokesperson called the comments “deeply concerning”.

Michael Palfrey has come under fire

It reportedly took a series of late-night meetings to determine if Palfrey would be sent home, with Taylor admitting it was still up in the air.

“He either goes home or he stays, that’s the options,” Taylor said.

“And it’s what is the impact on the performance of the team.

“If he goes home, we have to find other coaches to pick up the load on the athletes and our coaches are really stretched, and is that in the athletes’ best interest?

“That’s one consideration.

“If he stays, then it’s about the team dynamic and making sure that the (other) coaches are happy with that and can support that and the athletes themselves can go about their business and not be distracted.

“He made an error and I told him that I don’t appreciate it … it was an un-Australian comment.

“Does that mean that he’s unworthy of looking after the three athletes he has coached for the last three years to this point, who rely on him to prepare them for the performance?

“That is what I’ve got to weigh up.”

Taylor added he was “extremely disappointed” saying: “For a coach on our team to promote another athlete ahead of our athletes is not acceptable.”

Rohan Taylor was not happy. Photo: Adam Head

Meares also said that she “won’t be stepping in over the top of Swimming Australia” and will support “any decision they make”.

Palfrey is the head coach of the USC Spartans on the Sunshine Coast and is looking after Zac Incerti, Abbey Connor and Alex Perkins at the Paris Games.

But in the past, South Korean swimmers Kim, Hwang Sun-woo, Lee Ho-joon, Lee Yoo-yeon and Yang Jae-hoon have all visited Queensland to train under Palfrey.

However, Australia’s governing body handed down a clear directive in March for coaching staff to cut ties with international athletes before the Olympic trials last month to avoid conflicts of interest.

Palfrey’s comments hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons after he spoke to South Korean media on the pool deck after Australian training while wearing Australian kit on Tuesday.

“I want to see new ground always being broken. I want to see world records being broken,” Palfrey said.

“With Woo-min, what I can see that he can do in the training pool, not many swimmers can do. I’m excited to work with an athlete and that I am going, ‘Wow, this guy is something special’. We just need to give him enough time that he keeps on improving.

“I want him to get out of the pool and (know) he’s done his best time and he’s given it 100 per cent. We want to see him swim a best time. If he swims a best time, he’ll be amongst it. He’ll be in the top few swimmers in the race.

“I think Woo-Min can definitely be amongst the medals but the hard thing for him is that those (Australian) guys have already posted fast times. He’s got to find another level. Hopefully at this meet, he can go faster.”

Woo-min has the pressure on him now. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Short and Winnington have extra incentive. Photo by Michael Klein.

Palfrey also believed it would be a close race.

“There will be three or four of them in the race that think they can win it,” he said.

“I think it’s going to come down to that last 100 metres. We need Woo-min to lift, that’s what I’ll be saying to him. He’s got to race tough.”

He also reportedly ended the interview by saying “go Korea”.

Short enters the Olympics having won the 400m race at the 2023 world championships while Winnington finished second in the 2024 world championships behind Kim Woo-min.

Zac Stubblety-Cook, who is preparing to defend his 200m breaststroke title, spoke to Winnington and Short on Thursday and said they “weren’t super fazed to be honest”.

“Yes, it is disappointing but it hasn’t rocked the boat too much,” he added.

The final will be the first swimming medal event at the Paris Olympics and while Palfrey may be cheering on Kim Woo-min, Australia will be firmly behind Short and Winnington.

Heats for the 400m freestyle event will get underway on Saturday before the final takes place on Sunday morning from 4.42am (AEST).

Both Winnington and Short will return to the pool on Monday evening when they take part in the 800m freestyle event.

The final of that event is set to take place on Wednesday morning from 5.03am (AEST).

Originally published as ‘Un-Australian’: Swim coach learns Olympic fate after ‘go Korea’ gaffe