Gary Goodner, Sr., a former Tampa Bay Aquatics coach and Puerto Rican Olympian, has been permanently banned from USA Swimming as of last December.
Goodner, Sr. is listed on an old page of the Tampa Bay Aquatics website as having served as the head coach of the club’s Tampa Palms Country Club branch starting in 2007. Goodner, Sr. had a fairly lengthy coaching history before that in the state of Florida, coaching the Flagler County Swim Team and Flagler Palm Coast High School among others.
But last December, USA Swimming announced it had added Goodner, Sr.’s name to its list of individuals permanently suspended or ineligible.
Gary Goodner, Sr (FL) added to list of Individuals Permanently Suspended or Ineligible for @USASwimming membership http://t.co/uSyrMOL62S
— USA Swim Safe Sport (@SwimSafeSport) December 4, 2014
Goodner, Sr. was banned under three different sections of the USA Swimming Code of Conduct. The first two deal with sexual misconduct by a coach or person of authority. Goodner, Sr. is listed as being banned under Section 304.3.5 in both its 1999-2001 version and its 2002-2008 section, which suggests Goodner, Sr. was perhaps accused of violating the rules at some point in both time periods. He was also banned under section 304.3.15, which deals more generally with conduct detrimental to the image of USA Swimming.
Here is how each statute is described:
304.3.5 – 1999-2001:
304.3.5 Any sexual contact or advance directed towards an athlete by a coach, official, trainer, or other person who, in the context of swimming, is in a position of authority over that athlete.
304.3.5 – 2002-2008:
304.3.5 Any sexual contact or advance or other inappropriate sexually oriented behavior or action directed towards an athlete by a coach, official, trainer, or other person who, in the context of swimming, is in a position of authority over that athlete.
304.3.15:
304.3.15 Any other act, conduct or omission not provided for above, which is detrimental to the image or reputation of USA Swimming, a LSC or the sport of swimming.
Goodner, Sr. was an Olympian as a swimmer, representing Puerto Rico in the 1968 Summer Olympics. He also competed at the Central American and Caribbean Games for the Puerto Rican team.
Goodner, Sr. is not to be confused with his son Gary Goodner, Jr., who is still a coach in good standing with USA Swimming.
