Australian swim coach Denis Cotterell escaped punishment in Swimming Australia’s investigation into one of his former assistants, but the Gold Coast Bulletin reports that local parents aren’t happy with that outcome.
The investigation was for Brian King, who coached alongside Cotterell at the Miami Swimming Club. King was accused of a whole host of negative activities, including falsifying his resume to get the job at Miami and verbally abusing athletes while coaching there.
Last month, Swimming Australia suspended King from coaching for 6 months, and from coaching children for 3 years.
Now, though, parents have turned their attention to Cotterell, who they say knew about King’s verbal abuse but didn’t act on it while the two men coached together at Miami.
The Gold Coast Bulletin has the story here, reporting that parents have gotten the Australian Sports Commission involved in looking into Cotterell’s conduct during the King years.
SwimSwam’s lengthy report on King back in May touched on this issue, with the past two presidents of the Miami Swimming Club alleging that Cotterell covered for King even as complaints of abuse poured in. (You can read that full story here – the portion about Cotterell is in the third-to-last heading).
Cotterell publicly defended King when the accusations first began to heat up, telling the Daily Telegraph that the swimmers under King needed to toughen up and that the complaints against King were “trumped up.”
Swimming Australia’s CEO said in the Bulletin piece that it had addressed everything raised by its investigation, standing by its decision to suspend King but not punish Cotterell.
Swimming Australia CEO Mark Anderson said the organisation had “addressed all matters raised and had reinforced the key lessons and issues raised directly with all relevant individuals involved in the case.
“In this communication we also reinforced to all individuals the importance of the Member and Child Welfare Policies and expected behaviour.
The other major accusation floating around is that King was serving as an intermediary between Cotterell and Chinese World Record-holder Sun Yang, whom Cotterell coached. Swimming Australia forced Cotterell to officially cut ties with Sun after a failed doping test, but Sun stayed in Australia, training instead with King, leading to allegations that Cotterell was still training the Chinese distance man by proxy.
Ben. I am not happy that you have said swimming club committees should protect us from them. You need to remember that the club committee are volunteer parents and I think it is wrong that you state they are responsible. The volunteer parents who were the swimming committee at Miami who took a stand against Brian king endured months of belittling from Denis and Brian and their little favorite group of minions who supported them. Most of he committee suffered emotionally throughout this time. A lot of parents and club people happily turned a blind eye to what was happening provided it didn’t happen to their child and their child swam fast and to keep Denis happy. Great parenting to… Read more »
Hi Not So Easy, I was definitely not having a crack at the many volunteer parents who are on the Committee at Miami and from reading your comments I have to applaud the wonderful job they did to try and protect the swimmers from the bullying behaviour of the Coaches and their minions. It is pleasing to know that the Committee at Miami tried to take a stand.
My comments regarding a Volunteer Swim Committee are from a personal experience. The swim club committee I dealt with, unlike Miami they already have in place the Coaches minions and unlike the Miami Committee they do not take a stand and try and protect the swimmer they definitely sweep it under the… Read more »
“Not so Easy” – Yep BK still coaching at Oasis Pools Banora Point in NSW. The pool operators have been informed by SAL of the ban and several of BK’s victims called to complain they have not upheld SAL’s decision. I have been informed BK is coaching Chinese, Koreans and an Australian U16 swimmer (though Sun Yang returned to China last Sunday). It is absolutely disgraceful and no-one now has the balls to stand up to BK and his handful of minions – including SAL who it seems has no jurisdiction or power to enforce their ban. Crickets – crickets everywhere! What a joke. BK’s minion flaunting the SAL ban, privately employing BK to coach their child, well, what can… Read more »
No, Brian King is in China with Sun Yang currently as Sun Yang posted photos on his Fan Page today. Does this mean FINA have granted BK accreditation at Kazan despite SAL’s ban? This ban is a joke “Spot On”.
Kowalksi REPRESENTS NOT ONE JUNIOR SWIMMER !
He has no right to be involved in anything other than the swimmers he is elected to represent.
How many other complaints are being sandbagged as we speak and how many years have those parents been waiting for a result from SAL?
If ascta is the asylum the inmates are in charge.
Any club with enough “individual concern” needs to unite to stop the unforgivable attacks on children.
Talk sense to each other the club will be better for you discussion and actions.
I have read with interest the comments from obviously very disgruntled parents and/ or swimmers. And to me it is quite obvious that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” in regards to where this conversation all started, and his minions. The minions have learnt their craft from the master.
The latest posts from CASEY, ANON & TIGER obviously in reference to a puppet master/ over rated swim teacher, from a swimming club in the South Eastern area of Melbourne. (sorry I could be getting the cryptic names wrong) The same one that has recently lost all of its senior swimming talent that just happen to all be under the watch of SAL. Maybe the swimmers aren’t as… Read more »
Reading Anon and Casey comments sounds like I also know which Coach/Club you are talking about. I agree with all the comments and its a shame that the Club Committee allow this to happen and like SAL sweep it under the carpet.
All have knowledge but don’t do anything about.
Hmmm!!!! We too find this all very interesting, also in a squad elsewhere in Australia that has a head coach who had previously has been under Cotterell, who also displays behaviours that are both narcissistic and barbaric. SAL are fully aware of the Coaches behaviours and so choose to undermine parents and it is their belief that parents should keep quiet. Many parents have not complained for the fear of retribution to their swimmer. Over many years witnessed complaints brought forward and in a patronising manner dealt with but then outcome remains the same, the Coach continues this disgusting behaviour.
We teach children the morals and values of appropriate behaviour and so in allowing the Coach to behave and… Read more »
Hmm judging by your name I think could be the same
Hmm this is interesting in that a squad I was elsewhere in Australia had a head coach who had previously been under Cotterell and people were treated in a similar manner. Why do some coaches have to grind through everyone to find the few swimmers who make it to the top but not give any thought to the many that they churn through who end up with chronic injuries,glandular fever, stress etc?
Gina, to be honest respect is what people want.
Also a formal apology and an acknowledgment from Denis Cotterell, Mark Anderson, Daniel Kowalski, John Bertrand and Reece Rackley that were wrong. That they failed these victims.
These men all paid a contributing factor in this sad and sorry story – they allowed this beast to behave in such an inappropriate manner.
Further – an announcement stating that as a result of Brian’s lies and disgusting treatment of children that they have now established processes and policies so this never happens again.
SAL did nothing -they sat in their Ivory tower hoping and praying for years that Brian would stop so they didn’t have to act. They turned a… Read more »
But what is it that you want now?
Btw I am all for coaches being accredited for under 11 & under 17 & then open ( plus approved juniors) . I also believe itis cruel to have kids out of bed at 4.30 am . Keep on with this & we will see more restrictions in training of children . Some will be good undoubtedly but the sport will lose control.
Gina I am the mother of the young boy from Kingston. He was 11 years old when Brian got his grubby clutches on him. For the record Brian treated my son like a piece of dirt and said things to him that a professional coach should never say to a young impressionable child.
Brian bullied my son subjecting him to special treatment that other parents and swimmers also questioned. One of the witnesses was a police officer who felt the need to step in and object to the way my child, his child and others were treated. Another witness – a swim coach – who also witnessed Brian calling a 17 year old a retard and other terrible names.… Read more »
MOTHER, I have no words to express how awful this experience must have been for you and your son. We’ve never met but I feel I know your story and your pain.
I saw firsthand the way some of the victims and their families were treated at Miami. Denis bullied them and made their complaints feel insignificant. I saw the way Denis and Brian treated Alex, Raelene and the office staff and I was embarrassed by their behaviour.
I was there when his wife and 2 supporters attempted to hijack the committee and I could see – as if in slow motion the train crash that was about to happen.
I thought that because I wouldn’t allow… Read more »
Firstly – you have brought up the issue of sexual abuse . I’ll swap a story .
A few years ago I came across a group of young Qld swimmers who on retrospect were being groomed by a Parent who was only was convicted in 2014 .so there are likely many girls affected. One of these girls later tried to ( allegedly ) stalk & groom a young female relative of mine. From my conversations with others , much more of this goes on between older athletes – sometimes only 17+ & much younger athletes. It is not just about coaches , parents , officials .
I would be happy for more aspects of coaching in swimmng to be regulated… Read more »
You have to wonder that if Miami wasn’t a Podium Performance Centre, and if Cottrell didn’t have such an elite squad (Hackett, Fraser-Holmes etc), then SA might have actually done something.
It is the duty of the Head Coach to manage his Assistants, therefore Cottrell needs to have some sort of accountability here.