‘All the coaches’ knew about Wright rumours
SWIM ENGLAND are facing serious questions over their safeguarding policies after former performance director Bill Sweetenham said ‘all the coaches’ were aware of rumours around an alleged paedophile, who trained some of Britain’s leading athletes.
Sweetenham has admitted to
The Mail on Sunday he had heard speculation around the personal life of John Wright long before he took charge at Kingston Royals.
Sweetenham, who arrived in Britain from Australia several years after countryman Wright and had no role in his appointment at the south London club, said the toxic rumours were common knowledge among the coaching community in his homeland.
But the swimming fraternity was unable to act on them because no complaint was lodged against Wright at the time. He is now facing 29 charges of child sex abuse in Australia and, as The Mail on Sunday revealed, has been accused of systemic bullying at Kingston Royals.
Sweetenham knew Wright before he (Wright) left Australia to work in South Africa, which he left for Kingston. Sweetenham enquired about the speculation on a trip of his own to South Africa during this time but Wright’s associates gave him only positive references. ‘There were always rumours about (Wright) in Australia during his time there, but no proof,’ said Sweetenham, who enjoyed a hugely successful reign with the British team between 2000 and 2007. ‘Apart from being an accomplished coach, he hid in the shadows with his personal life.’
Sweetenham had approached Ken Wood, the late Australian Olympic coach and friend of Wright’s, with concerns. ‘I often asked Ken about the rumours many years ago,’ he said. ‘Once again, it was a case of many rumours but no proof.’
Safeguarding experts say the case raises issues about due diligence that took place on Wright, among both British swimming authorities and those in other countries where he worked. Sweetenham himself admitted ‘education and communication have not been the best down the years’ among national federations and they have ‘had to sharpen their approach to safeguarding’.
Kingston Royals did not respond to requests for comment.