The Slanch Report

Canadian swimming coach Cecil Russell has had a long circuitous route towards being reinstated by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. Unfortunately, Russell’s latest appeal was denied, with an adjudicator upholding the lifetime ban that Russell received in 1997 for being involved in a steroid trafficking ring.

In 1999, Russell applied for reinstatement for the first time. He was denied. A year later Russell became involved in another drug smuggling ring, getting arrested and spending 4 years in a Spanish prison for his part in an ecstasy ring.

Despite his misdeeds, there has been no evidence that Russell ever gave ANY of his swimmers drugs.

That said, Russell has also admitted during the murder trial of a former “associate” that he helped burn and dispose the body. Which makes him a VERY versatile swimming coach. That doesn’t seem to bother the Canadians though, who are instead much more concerned with the fact that Russell has been working as a “personal trainer” at the Dolphins Swim Club in Ontario.

Under his ban, Russell is not allowed to do that. Paul Melia, president and CEO of the CCES feels very strongly about this:

“I continue to wonder what parents are thinking when they knowingly disregard the ban imposed on Mr. Russell and expose their children to this potential harm. I have to ask myself whether for some parents chasing success is more important than playing by the rules?”

HE CHOPPED UP A BODY AND BURNED IT and your concern is that he’s breaking some SWIMMING rules?!!!!? I am flabbergasted.

In denying his latest reinstatement bid, adjudicator Graeme Mew wrote in his decision that:

This is not a decision about whether or not Mr. Russell is a good coach. Rather, I have to decide whether there are ‘exceptional circumstances’ which warrant his reinstatement. In my opinion, the sands having shifted since more evidence has emerged, Mr. Russell has failed, on a balance of probabilities, to discharge his onus of establishing that the conditions for reinstatement are met at this time.

[Ottawa Citizen]