The Irish Amateur Swimming Association (IASA) has been asked to completely revise its constitutional structure when it meets in Malahide, Co Dublin, for a special e.g.m. this weekend.
This official recommendation comes from Change Management Team, a professional group appointed to completely revise the IASA's constitution and structures. Its report follows the scandals involving two former Irish Olympic coaches, Derry O'Rourke and George Gibney, and it recommends that a completely new swimming structure be in place on an interim basis by the end of next September.
The report, entitled A New Direction For Irish Swimming, outlines specific changes which the IASA must urgently carry out in the light of the Murphy report on child sexual abuse in the sport. The report was published earlier this year after O'Rourke was jailed for 12 years on child abuse charges.
Two of the key principles of the interim structure are: that the Irish Amateur Swimming Association Ltd will be the legal entity through which the sport of swimming in Ireland will be governed; and that the Irish Amateur Swimming Association will cease to exist.
At the e.g.m. all IASA officers will be asked to consider the document and resign from their positions in order that the new association can be formed. In asking the officers to resign there is no suggestion of wrongdoing.
The document outlines 11 significant proposals which it hopes will provide a framework for a complete overhaul and restructuring of Irish swimming. The sport currently has no State funding and no sponsorship and is bitterly divided in the aftermath of the scandals.
The following proposals will be presented to the e.g.m.:
Acknowledgement of inadequacies and a need for serious change, particularly in responding effectively to complaints by swimmers.
A child-centred focus which emphasises the safety, health and welfare of children at all levels.
The introduction of immediate child-centred actions and policies. Specifically, new procedures will apply to the screening of coaches.
Disciplinary procedures will be immediately reviewed and a new system for disciplining those who infringe the new codes and charters will be devised.
Provision of appropriate counselling and support services for victims.
Provision of seminars on child safety and protection for all involved in swimming.
The support of the Minister for Tourism and Sport, the Irish Sports Council and the Northern Ireland Sports Council to be sought to establish an Independent Review Group to draft a strategic plan for the sport.
The IASA will no longer exist and will become the Irish Amateur Swimming Association Ltd.
Work to begin on drafting new by-laws and regulations.
Rules for election of directors and committee members to be approved at another e.g.m. in September.
The Independent Review Group will assess the funding required to achieve objectives over the next 3-5 years.
The document also proposes a time-scale for the Independent Review Group. It should have analysed the current status of the sport by next December and by next January should be able to present a report. A debate on the development of swimming should then take place in February 1999.
Identification of the structures and monitoring processes as well as funding requirements should be in place by next March, with a final report and recommendations expected by May next year.