Australian coach fired for supporting Korean athlete at the Paris Olympics

Swimming Australia has fired coach Michael Palfrey over comments made at the Paris Olympics where he said he hoped a South Korean athlete would beat Australian swimmers.

Palfrey told South Korean television he hoped South Korea's Kim Woo-min would win the men's 400-meter freestyle in Paris, an event that featured Australians Sam Short and Elijah Winnington.

I really hope he can win, but ultimately I really hope he swims well, Palfrey said in Paris during the Games. He added, Go Korea.

Swimming Australia said in a statement Friday that it had terminated Palfrey due to a breach of his employment agreement.

It added Palfrey brought "himself into disrepute and causing serious damage to his and Swimming Australia's reputation, and adversely affecting Swimming Australia's interests."

The statement said Palfrey would retain his coach accreditation status.

Palfrey, who previously worked with Kim as an adviser, was told along with Australia's other swimming coaches to end any association