Scott Volkers: Banned here, coaching abroad
First on 7: A 7News Investigation has discovered Australian swimming coach Scott Volkers working with young women in Brazil, while the Australian Royal Commission considers details of alleged sex crimes.
Mr Volkers is banned from coaching children in Australia and named in the Royal Commission into insitututional responses to child sex abuse. Now he is part of the Brazilian Olympic coaching team.
7News video shows Volkers working closely with swimmers he could not go near in Australia.
Julie Gilbert was 13 when she trained in Queensland under Scott Volkers.
In 2002, she and three other young girls made explosive allegations about their coach that he indecently assaulted them in the 1980s' and 1990's.
Julie said: "He asked me to go onto his bed again under the idea of thinking it was a massage but unfortunately he put his hands under my togs and inappropriately touched me.”
When shown video of Volkers working with young girls today, she was shocked and shattered.
“It just amazes me that no-one seems to stop him. He seems to be able to jump through every loophole that is available to him."
Julie’s claims in 2002 were rejected and seven charges against Volkers brought by young girls were dropped.
The case was reopened in 2004 but was again dismissed with Volkers rejecting the allegations.
Speaking at the time, he said: “I've never done anything to anybody in my life that I regret doing. It's just ridiculous."
He is banned from coaching any swimmers under the age of 16 in Australia and moved to Belo Horizonte in Brazil where he trains that nation's elite swimmers.
has been refused accreditation for the Pan Pacs swim meet which begins on the Gold Coast tomorrow. But some believe that is still not enough and that he should have his international coaching license stripped as well.
Swim legend Dawn Fraser said: “I think [swimming’s governing body] Fina should step in and say take you coaching accreditation away from you until you have proven yourself either guilty or not guilty."
The Royal Commission is now investigating The Queensland Academy of Sport, Queensland Swimming and Swimming Australia questioning how they handled the initial sexual abuse allegations 12 years ago and may recommend charges be laid again.
Volkers has so far refused to comment and, in the meantime, continues his work abroad.
Latest news bulletin
