…Former Gator Swim Club head coach Bryan Woodward has been added to the USA Swiming lifetime ban list, effective March 7th, 2012. According to the list on USA Swimming’s website, he was suspended for clause 304.3.6 of the USA Swimming Code of Conduct, which involves the “existence of any charges” or a “conviction” or plea of guilty for a felony, sexual misconduct, or any crime against a minor. He was arrested in January for travelling to meet a minor and using a computer to solicit a minor. We have reached out to USA Swimming for comment, and will report back when they respond. This is the first suspension handed out since USA Swimming rebranded their athlete protection activities to “Safe Swim”…
…FINA has announced a 6-month ban for Polish swimmer Mirela Olczak after a positive test for methylhexaneaminein November. The ban was effective November 12th, 2011, which means she will be eligible again in April; which is a month before Poland’s May National Championships. Olczak, who recently turned 19, once had some international potential as a distance swimmer; she swam at the 2008 World Youth Championships, and in 2009 was going 4:16’s in her 400 free when she was only 16. She hasn’t come close again to that level since 2009, however….
…Former Texas swimmer Karlee Bispo has begun her postgraduate career training with Eddie Reese and the men in Austin. That’s not really a huge surprise – without the Texas women having a head coach, she was likely to make a coaching transition in the coming months regardless. Bispo had a strong NCAA Championship meet for the Longhorns, and has an outside shot at the Olympic Team after an outstanding long course season in 2011…
…Australians James Roberts and James Magnussen became the two fastest men in textile at last month’s Australian National Championships when they swam 47.63 and 47.10, respectively, to earn spots on the Australian Olympic Team. Both swimmers are also from New South Wales. Both swimmers also turned 21 today. Good day in Australia! Happy Birthday to both…