Gareth O'Callaghan: How disgraced Olympic coach George Gibney escaped prosecution — until now

George Gibney promised Olympic glory to young swimmers — but decades later, his victims may finally get their day in court

George Gibney  in 2019 close to his home near Orlando in Florida. Picture: Mark Horgan

Give a man a whistle and a stopwatch and he assumes a position of authority. Bestow on him a reputation for achieving outstanding results, and his status of reverence becomes unquestionable. Trust the safety of your children to him and he commands total dominance.

Nothing could better describe the level of god-like fear and control that George Gibney once wielded over his swimmers than to feel those dark soulless eyes trained on you as you took your position on the starting block.