- Brett Sutton, aged 65, coached Swiss athlete Julie Derron to a second-place finish last week.
- He received accreditation from China and was present at the event in Paris.
- Sutton admitted guilt to five charges of sexual abuse involving a 13-year-old girl in 1999.
A convicted child sexual offender who coached Switzerland’s triathlete silver medallist has departed the Paris Olympics following scrutiny from the International Olympic Committee regarding his presence at the event.
Australian coach Brett Sutton, 65, guided Julie Derron to a second-place finish recently, just ahead of Great Britain’s Beth Potter.
Last week, he received accreditation from China and appeared at the event, giving an interview to Swiss television near the finish line on the Pont Alexandre III.
In later footage, Sutton was seen wearing the official Olympic accreditation lanyard.
Sutton has since exited the Paris Games following revelations of his status as a known child sex offender.
Australian coach Brett Sutton, 65, a convicted child sex offender, has left the Paris Olympics after he was seen giving an interview to Swiss television
Sutton was given accreditation by China and joined in with Derron’s (centre) celebrations
In 1999, Sutton admitted guilt to five counts of sexual abuse involving a 13-year-old Australian swimmer he had coached. He received a two-year prison sentence, which was suspended for three years.
According to The Sunday Times, the presiding judge, Robert Hall, characterized Sutton’s actions as interfering with the girl in a ‘gross and disgraceful manner’ and condemned his abuse of his coaching role.
The judge did recognize, however, that Sutton was preparing numerous athletes for the Sydney Games and expressed concern for the disadvantage they would face in his absence.
Sutton is prohibited from coaching by several organizations.
‘They have now departed. They are no longer here,’ Adams informed reporters regarding Sutton’s departure. ‘Initially, it’s a matter for the Chinese Olympic Committee.’
He further commented, ‘While we have safeguarding measures in place, incidents can happen from time to time, and we will investigate this matter.’
Sutton manages the Trisutto triathlon coaching company, which shared images of him at the finish line on Instagram, as well as a video of him conversing with Swiss TV after Derron’s unexpected second-place finish.
Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who has a conviction for raping a minor, has drawn attention to the issue of whether athletes with historical sex abuse convictions should be permitted at the Games.
Dutch paedophile Steven van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison after raping a girl
During his first appearance on July 28, he was booed by some spectators and has been kept apart from other Dutch athletes, not residing in the athletes’ village.
‘What has happened is in the past, and he has served his time,’ remarked van de Velde’s teammate Matthew Immers.
Trisutto proclaims on its website that ‘no one in the history of our sport has produced more successful triathletes’ and asserts to have trained four Olympic medallists and 30 world champions.
