Swimming New Zealand Chief Executive resigns following criticisms

Swimming New Zealand Chief Executive Mike Byrne has resigned following the release of a critical report into the aquatic sport organisation.

Byrne's resignation, announced in a press release from Swimming New Zealand, is the latest twict in a two-year crisis that has seen other resignations and the surprising retirement of butterflyer Moss Burmester over a lack of faith in the organisation's operations.

A recently released independent review outlined an unfavorable picture of Swimming New Zealand, recommending a complete overhaul of the organisation including a new board of directors and for Byrne to step down.

After initial reports that Byrne had voluntarily left his positions upon release of the report, the embattled Chief Executive later announced that he had no intentions of leaving the post before finally resigning.

The review was Swimming New Zealand's third in four years. The last review, released in June, prompted the resignation of high performance manager Jan Cameron after it was suggested her department was not helping swimmers. And shortly after the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Olympic butterflyer Burmester retired when he felt the organisation was not working in the best interest of the athletes.

Mark O'Connor, General Manager of operations, will take over as head of Swimming New Zealand in the interim as the country prepares to send about a dozen swimmers to the Olympics.

The text of the Swimming New Zealand press release reads:

"It is with regret that Mike Byrne has announced his resignation from Swimming New Zealand.

"Although Mike has reservations with the draft findings of the Working Group, he has chosen to resign to enable Swimming New Zealand to be able to move forward productively.

"Swimming New Zealand thanks Mike for his contribution to the organisation, including implementing significant change, salvaging Swimming New Zealand's financial position, securing the sport's first ever principal sponsor, and establishing the State Kiwi Swim Safe learn to swim programme, which has seen a significant number of primary school children learn to swim.

"We wish Mike the very best for his future endeavours. For the moment all operational matters should be referred to Mark O'Connor, GM Operations.

"Swimming New Zealand will not be making any further comment on this matter."

The review of Swimming New Zealand, commissioned by Sport New Zealand (formerly SPARC, is seen as one of the most damning reports levelled at a national sports organisation.

Led by Chris Moller, a former Fonterra senior executive, ex-Chief Executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union and current Chairman of New Zealand Cricket, delivered 17 provisional recommendations – the most powerful elements mirroring the massive cull of senior New Zealand Rugby League officials proposed by John Anderson in 2009.

In addition to recommending personnel changes the review outlined serious transparency issues within Swimming NZ and complete dysfunction between it and its community.

When the full report emerges, probably over the next two months, issues closely explored could include poor high-performance management and funding, an inept commercial model, lack of leadership and an outdated constitution and ambiguous set of main rules.

The treatment of top swimmers is also expected to be a key element of the final report, with criticism of the high-performance system and administration of elite-athlete funding.

The treatment of swimmers who operate outside the domestic high-performance system, such as those at overseas universities, is also tipped to have drawn Moller's attention.

Discontent has also raged around what some say has been "rail-roading" of development plans for certain regions – development supposedly overseen by senior officials with clear affiliations to the regions.

With this taxpayer-funded review the third major investigation of swimming in four years, Moller also demanded that the 17 recommendations be implemented quickly, and in full.

Moss Burmester hailed the report's explosive recommendations, after he spoke out against Swimming NZ two years ago in an interview with Fairfax Media.

Moller said Swimming NZ must now not be allowed to "cherry pick" changes recommended in his report. It must be all or nothing if the sport was serious about moving forward and resolving problems which had disrupted and divided the organisation for years, he said.

Swimming NZ board member Humphrey Pullon described his organisation as being "shell-shocked" by the strong draft proposals, but added that the board was still keen to see the recommendations carried out.

Auckland Swimming Association executive Brian Palmer welcomed Pullon's comments and thanked Moller for producing a report which stakeholders could "never have dreamt of". 

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