SWIMMERS EXPECT SCRUTINY
COMMONWEALTH GAMES:
Head coach Jacco Verhaeren concedes the Australian swimming team’s culture will come under the microscope at the Commonwealth Games in the aftermath of the cricket cheating scandal.
Public outrage over the the ball-tampering saga and the rotten culture within the Test team could have a flow-on effect at the Commonwealth Games, with placement of athletes as role models likely to be heavily scrutinised.
“I think the swim team is pretty much under the magnifier already,” Verhaeren said.
“But definitely this (ensures) the Australian public look critically to not only performance but also behaviours and we’re well aware of that.”
Verhaeren was appointed Australian coach in 2013 as swimming emerged from a cultural overhaul following the disastrous 2012 Olympics.
While he was not part of that team, Verhaeren copped his fair share of criticism after the 2016 Games, where some of the team’s biggest names failed to fire as others broke through for gold.
He well understands the nation’s obsession with sport.
“It would be naive to think that nobody would ask (about how the cricket scandal might affect swimming),” Verhaeren said. “It’s obviously something big in Australian sport and worldwide, I think. People are looking at that, so you may expect a few questions.”
Although the cricket situation had not been specifically discussed by the team at their camp in Brisbane this week, Verhaeren said the athletes were well aware “that we’re being critically followed”.
Swimming Australia underwent a review of its culture and leadership after the London Olympics, resulting in a team Verhaeren described as one with great “cohesion”.
“Of course, we’re travelling with 100 people here, so it would be naive to think that nothing could go wrong,” he said.
“But when it comes down to the team and the team culture and behaviours, we’re really in close contract with the athletes on a day-to-day basis.”