By Canadian Press

Canadian national artistic swimming coach Gabor Szauder taking leave of absence

Mar 23, 2021 | 8:55 AM

OTTAWA — Canadian Artistic Swimming national team head coach Gabor Szauder is taking a personal leave pending the outcome of a discipline panel hearing in the aftermath of complaints from athletes.

The organization says the country’s governing body for the sport and Szauder mutually agreed Monday that the situation had become too difficult to manage for the team and coach.

Earlier this month, five former elite artistic swimmers from Canada announced they had filed a proposed class action against Canada Artistic Swimming (CAS) for allegedly failing to provide a safe environment for athletes.

Chloe Isaac, Gabrielle Boisvert, Erin Wilson, Sion Ormond and Gabriella Brisson allege CAS did not provide an environment “free of psychological abuse, neglect and harassment” during their time with the program from 2007 to 2020.

They also accuse Szauder and previous coaches of disrespectful or abusive behaviour.

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None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Szauder did not immediately respond to an interview request

CAS said last week it has completed an investigation into allegations against Szauder.

The organization says that the investigation showed that there was no clear evidence of a dangerous training environment in the senior national team program and that a hearing before its disciplinary panel will decide whether he breached the organization’s code of conduct.

CAS last week temporarily suspended previous coaches Meng Chen and Leslie Sproule as it awaits the results of an independent safe sport investigation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2021.

The Canadian Press