Aussie swimming coach Michael Palfrey facing sanction over ‘serious error’ in supporting Korea

An Australian swimming coach could be sacked on the eve of the Olympics following his controversial comments.

Michael Palfrey, one of eight coaches on the Australian swim team, has told Australian officials he’s “very sorry” for openly declaring he wanted a South Korean swimmer to win the 400m freestyle — an event that includes two Aussies.

Palfrey used to coach world champion Kim Woo-min and said he’d want him to beat Aussie duo Sam Short and Elijah Winnington in Sunday morning’s final (AEST).

“I really hope he can win, but ultimately, I really hope he swims well,” Palfrey told Korean media poolside in Paris, before ending his interview by saying “Go Korea”.

7NEWS reporter Chris Reason said Palfrey could be booted from the team.

“To repeat, that’s an Australian coach here, for the Australian Olympic Committee, paid by them to train and supervise Australian swimmers, instead backing a Korean athlete,” he said from Paris.

“Our athletes will have a say in whether they need him to stay or whether they want him on the first plane out of here.”

Swimming Australia’s head coach Rohan Taylor described the comments as “un-Australian”.

“I am extremely disappointed,” Taylor told reporters on Thursday.

“For a coach on our team to promote another athlete ahead of our athletes is not acceptable.”

Taylor wants to decide Palfrey’s tenure at the Paris Games as soon as possible with competition at the pool starting on Saturday.

“He either goes home or he stays, they’re 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.”

‘Serious error’

Australian chef de mission Anna Meares said Palfrey made a “serious error”.

“This is conflict and a serious error of judgement. Any decision that we make two days out from the start of the Dolphins campaign needs to have the athletes in the conversation,” she said.

“Clearly, whatever decision is made will be about the best interests of the athletes from a high-performance perspective and a wellbeing perspective.”

Swimming Australia head coach Rohan Taylor will decide any disciplinary action which Meares said would be backed by Australian team hierarchy.

“We won’t be stepping in over the top of Swimming Australia,” Meares said.

“We will be working with them and any decision that they make, we will support.”

Palfrey works with Australian swimmers Zac Incerti, Abbey Connor and Alex Perkins.

He has also mentored South Korean swimmers in Brisbane including Kim, who won 400m freestyle at the world championships in Qatar in February.

Australian coaches were told in March to end any association with non-Australian swimmers before the Paris Olympics.

Meares said Palfrey’s comments and whether he was still involved with Korean swimmers were both problematic issues.

“They both carry similar weight,” she said.

“But the fact that he’s commented about the athlete winning against the Australian team, that’s the bigger issue.”

Taylor, the head coach overseeing the eight other coaches on the Australian swim team, will hold a media conference later on Thursday.

- With AAP