Alex Baumann, underwent surgery for testicular cancer. Baumann, 35, retired from swimming 12 years ago and lives in Brisbane, where he is Executive Director of Queensland Swimming.

Baumann is convinced the two operations he has undergone in the four weeks since his diagnosis and the negative tests since then bode well for the future.

Testicular cancer is common among younger men between the ages and 25 to 35 and if caught early has a 95% rate of cure.

The news was first disseminated by Dave Stubbs, Sports Editor of the Montreal Gazette on Octtober 27, after Baumann who is a close friend contacted Stubbs. It was front page news at the National Post on the 27th.

Baumann and Victor Davis, who died in a tragic accident in 1989 are the most successful swimmers for Canada. They both won Olympic golds and set numerous world records. Baumann's specialty was the individual medley and he won the 1984 Olympic gold for both the 200 and 400. In an international career that spanned from 1978 to 1987 Baumann established six world records.

Baumann married Tracy Taggart in 1991 an Australian he met at the 1982 Commonwealth Games which were held in Brisbane. They have two children Ashton, 6, and Tabitha, 4.