Amateur swimming executive still in place, despite July decision that all would resign

No Irish Amateur Swimming Association officials have resigned yet, despite an agreement two months ago that the entire executive would step down, the association told the Victims for Change in Irish Swimming group at a meeting yesterday.

In July the swimming association said that following a vote the entire executive membership had agreed to step down.

"It was confirmed to us that only two people have so far resigned, and these were at Leinster Branch level. There have been no resignations at IASA level," a spokeswoman for the victim group said after a meeting with the association at the weekend.

"Eight months have elapsed since Olympic coach Derry O'Rourke was sentenced to 12 years in prison for child sex abuse in the sport. We have always said that, unless people resign, then we would have no confidence in any new body that may be formed. We said to them that the public and victims of O'Rourke were led to believe the officers and officials of the IASA and Leinster Branch had resigned.

"To date this has not happened. Some people have certainly faded into the background, but largely the same people are still there. We are also concerned that to date nobody at all has been made accountable for the inaction of the IASA."

The victim group also pointed out that the IASA has not appointed a child-protection officer. They say the IASA has made insufficient effort to help O'Rourke's victims, many of whom are now taking civil actions against the Dublin club which employed him and against the IASA.

"O'Rourke will receive ongoing counselling in prison, but so far nothing has been done in this respect for his victims," said the spokeswoman.

"There is no child-protection officer, an important element of the Murphy Report, despite the fact that the new swimming season has already started. It appears also that they [IASA] do not know when they are likely to have such an officer. We again reiterated to the IASA that we wanted the recommendations of the Murphy Report followed."

While they were not engaged in a witch hunt, it was important to implement sweeping change and to do it quickly.

"We believe that the same officials have shown again and again that they are unwilling or incapable of implementing change or making decisions in relation to child sex abuse. Unless there is real change then any proposals only pay lip service to the victims and are simply cosmetic.".

"Resignation is no longer an issue," the IASA president, Ms Mary O'Malley, said yesterday. "Three officers, myself as president, secretary Pat O'Donovan and treasurer Wally Clarke tendered our resignations in July. The council, who are the supreme body in Irish swimming, unanimously refused to accept those resignations and expressed confidence in us. We had only taken office on April 24th of this year.

"There is, however, no question that everyone will step down at the next a.g.m. We first have to provide structures for a new IASA and election and we are currently doing that. There is no date yet set for the a.g.m. It will take place sometime after the e.g.m. on November 1st.

"We will have a child-protection officer as soon as we get the funding restored," said Ms O'Malley. "It is a priority to do this. We had advertised the position but the whole thing had to be put on hold because we have no money. That is still the case."