One of Austria's most senior and respected coaches, Linz-based Helge Godecke, is reported to have attempted suicide after being questioned over allegations that he filmed two teenage swimmers watching pornography.
The circumstances of the alleged incident have not yet been reported and under investigation.
The charges against Gödecke are serious. The public prosecutor's office is investigating under laws that forbid " abuse of an authority's relation, placing persons under 16 years in moral danger and allowing pornographic representation to be seen by under-age persons".
The matter has left the Austrian swim community in shock, not least of all the swimmers under Godecke's tutelage.
Jordis Steinegger tells the Austrian press: "I found out about it from a journalist. I thought he was calling me to congratulate me on my European champs qualification time last weekend. When I heard the allegations against my coach, my world collapsed. One cannot believe it, you hear from such things only on television. I have to form a judgment based on what is right and what is not. Personally, I know only what the media has told us. I am no victim and as far as I am concerned Helge Gödecke is innocent until proven guilty."
Godecke has long been a popular presence on the deck at European - and indeed worldwide - events. He is a man who has spoken about his passion for swimming and the rich rewards to be had from playing a part in the development of youth. The shock expressed in Austria today reflects that situation and the unexpected nature of the allegation.
