Head of Swim England steps down after two years
· Yahoo Sports
The head of England's governing body for swimming has stepped down with immediate effect.
Andy Salmon joined Swim England as chief executive officer in February 2024 at the same time a review identified a toxic environment within the organisation.
Visit sportnewz.click for more information.
It found athletes, volunteers and parents feared being "victimised" if they raised concerns with Swim England, while whistleblowers were threatened.
Its chair said Salmon had a overseen the appointing of a new senior leadership team, a financial plan, a new organisational structure and improved stakeholder relationships.
Salmon joined Loughborough-based Swim England in the same week a damning review was published into the governing body's culture.
It found a toxic environment in swimming clubs in England had enabled abusive training practices and bullying to exist for many years.
It also concluded extreme competitiveness led to an "ongoing and systemic" culture of fear at all levels of aquatic sports.
Safeguarding concerns
The listening review was commissioned after swimmers told the BBC they had suffered eating disorders, bullying and emotional abuse during training.
Salmon vowed to turn the organisation around and made a series of changes to safeguarding arrangement at all levels of the sport as a result, including the establishment of a director of safe aquatics.
Swim England chair Richard Hookway said: "We would like to thank Andy for his sterling efforts over the past two years.
"He, alongside the Senior Leadership Team, has led the beginning of the next chapter for Swim England. He leaves the organisation in a strong position to continue its transformation with lots more work to be done to achieve our goals."
The organisation confirmed Salmon had left on 30 June but would continue to support transition arrangements.
An interim chief executive will be appointed while the board goes through the recruitment process for a permanent chief executive, a spokesperson added.
Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
- Swimming's governing body sorry as safeguarding cases left in limbo
- Toxic culture of fear in swimming systemic - review