For the second time since the start of 2016, Hungary’s National Swimming Team Coach, Laszlo Kiss, has resigned from his post.
As we reported earlier this week, it was recently revealed that Kiss was charged with rape and served three years in prison in 1961 after he and two other elite swimmers lured a girl into an apartment and gang raped her.
After the news broke and spread globally, the Hungarian Swimming Federation confirmed its ongoing support of Kiss, marked by the board and coaching committee unanimously reconfirming Kiss to his position on Wednesday, April 6th.
However, in a statement today, Kiss confirmed he is leaving his role as National Swimming Team Coach, a role in which he’s held since 1993 on the women’s side, “in the interests of Hungarian sports and because his heath was shaken by the disclosure of his conviction to three years in prison.” (ABC News)
Kiss maintains his innocence of the crime, saying his conviction “came at a show trial based on trumped-up charges.” (ABC News)
The previous time this year that Kiss initially resigned from his post was after Hungarian superstar swimmer, Katinka Hosszu, criticized the Hungarian swimming federation at a press conference for failing to support its athletes. The resignation never came to fruition.
Hungarian Swimming Federation is reportedly expected to review next week what their plan will be in light of this announcement.