… so for those of you that don’t know it, there are two age group swim clubs in Oakville… the Oakville Aquatic Club (OAK) and the Oakville Dolphins. And the two stories below from the Swim Canada website demonstrate the difference… and why they shouldn’t be confused with each other.
The first story is about the head coach of OAK, Sean Baker. Last night Sean won the Canadian Age Group Coach of the Year! He and other top coaches, swimmers and Olympians were honored at an award ceremony in Toronto. Congrats to Sean for leading OAK to being ranked second in Canada!
And on the other hand, the head coach of the Oakville Dolphins, Cecil Russell, (unfortunately) got his lifetime coaching ban reduced to 3 years. He has been convicted of direct involvement in a steroid ring, an ecstacy ring and his involvement in a murder… in Canada, the US and Spain. Convicted… Google it… it’s unbelievable.
All I can say is our kids have swum with OAK for 12 years now and it boggles my mind that anyone still swims with the Dolphins.
Cheers,
Rob
Cochrane, McCabe among honourees at Big Splash Awards
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TORONTO – Swimming Canada handed out its annual honours at the Big Splash Awards Gala Monday in Toronto.
A total of 13 awards recognizing the best in Canadian Swimming were presented, including the OMEGA Male and Female Swimmer of theYear.
Ryan Cochrane (Island Swimming/Victoria Academy of Swimming) took home the OMEGA Male Swimmer of the Year award. Cochrane won a silver medal in the 1,500-metre freestyle at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, his second Olympic medal.
Martha McCabe (Vancouver Dolphins/National Swim Centre – Vancouver) was named the OMEGA Female Swimmer of the Year. McCabe finished fifth in 200-m breaststroke at the 2012 Olympics. McCabe and 13 other swimmers will represent Canada at the upcoming FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Istanbul from Dec. 12-16.
In the para-swimming categories, Benoit Huot (Piscine Parc Olymique, Montreal) was named the TAS Para-swimming Male Swimmer of the Year. Huot was Canada’s flag-bearer at the Paralympic Games after winning a gold, silver and bronze in London to bring his medal total to 19. Summer Mortimer(Ducks Swimming – Newmarket, Ont.) won the TAS Para-Swimming Female Swimmer of the Year. She won four medals, including two gold, at her first Paralympic Games.
The Open Water Swimmer of the Year award was no contest, as Olympic bronze medallist Richard Weinberger (Pacific Coast Swimming) won the award. Weinberger, who finished third in the 10-km marathon, received his award from presenter Annaleise Carr, the youngest person to swim across Lake Ontario.
Each swimmer’s coach was also recognized with an award. Cochrane’s coach Randy Bennett received the OMEGA Coach of the Year Male Swimmer awardwhile Jozsef Nagy took home the Female Swimmer category. Huot’s coach Pierre Lamy received the BFL Coach of the Year Male Para-swimmer award and the Female Para-swimmer award went to Mortimer’s coach Reg Chappell. Weinberger’s coach Ron Jacks took home Open Water Coach of the Year. The other coach award went to Sean Baker of Oakville Aquatic Club, named Club Coach of the Year by the Canadian Swim Coaches and Teachers Association.
The ceremony, hosted by Sportsnet’s Rob Faulds, featured a variety of celebrity presenters, including Mark Tewksbury, who was also recognized with an award. The 1992 Olympic gold medallist, who recently served as Canada’s chef de mission at the London Olympics, became just the third recipient of Swimming Canada’s Impact Award.
The annual awards gala was webcast for the first time ever and also featured performances by Victoria Duffield and Jesse Labelle. In another new twist, swimming fans were able to vote for the People’s Choice Race of the Year until just moments before the award was handed out to Summer Mortimer.
Statement on decision in Cecil Russell case
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OTTAWA – Swimming Canada respects the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada’s decision to maintain the ban against Cecil Russell from coaching swimmers for three years.
“This is a situation we take very seriously. While we recommended a lifetime ban be upheld against Mr. Russell, we respect that due process was followed,” said Swimming Canada CEO Pierre Lafontaine.
Russell applied to the SDRCC seeking a reduction of his 1997 lifetime ban for a doping-related infraction. The ban was upheld in a 2009 ruling by Arbitrator Graeme Mew, which cited Russell’s continued involvement with illegal activity and his disrespect for the terms of the ban through his continued involvement with Swimming Canada member swimmers.
In today’s decision, Arbitrator Richard McLaren found that Russell has breached the ban in multiple ways in recent years and “has put a scheme in place” to do so. This includes writing out training routines prior to Oakville Dolphins practices and advising and meeting with members of the club about their performances at swim meets. McLaren reduced the ban, however, in light of current rules, which provide much shorter penalties for drug trafficking violations.
This ruling means Russell remains ineligible to participate in any role in any competition or activity that is organized, convened, held or sanctioned by Swimming Canada or by a member organization of Swimming Canada or by any affiliated club, league or association.
The ban runs until Sept. 9, 2015. Russell must show “absolute and full compliance” with the ban until at least March 9, 2014. The SDRCC decision allowed that the remaining time could be suspended in the event Russell “abides by both the absolute letter of the ban and the spirit of what the ban stands for and intends to accomplish.” If the ban is not “completely and totally observed” it would extend the full three years.
“We will continue to do everything in our power to make the pool deck a safe, value-driven environment for Swimming Canada members of all ages.” said Lafontaine.
Swimming Canada has made all necessary efforts to maintain and enforce the lifetime ban. Swimming Canada would like to remind its provincial associations, clubs, coaches and swimmers that they are subject to the terms and conditions of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program and must respect its sanctions.
“Our primary concerns are to ensure a safe environment for swimmers and compliance with the rules of our sport,” said Swimming Canada President David de Vlieger. “Anti-doping rules exist to protect our swimmers and our sport. These rules are in place to ensure integrity and fair competition, and must be respected by all members.”
The decision is subject to appeal within 30 days. Swimming Canada is reviewing the ruling closely with its counsel as it considers any future action.