British Olympians have called on three key governance figures to resign so that new management and stakeholders can work together in a spirit of trust.

The Olympians spearheading the call for accountability emphasise that they have full confidence in Swim England CEO Andy Salmon, who was appointed in 2024.

However, they believe that those who held the reins at Swim England before his arrival  must step away from their governance roles to allow the sport to head in the right direction required to build trust.

The letter, sent to this journalist, states:

"It seems unthinkable that the board of a commercial company that failed so badly would survive. Yet you have simply declared yourselves fit to govern, pronouncing (without explanation) that your own resignations “would not serve any positive purpose”. We beg to differ." 

That echoes sentiments expressed to this journalist by many stakeholders, who asked not to be named for fear of adverse consequences. 

The 2024 Listening Report into the culture of the sport, noted that there was “ongoing fear of complaining about Swim England due to a perceived risk of retaliation” and “..a fear of potential backlash for saying something unfavourable”.

This journalist has been given the list of signatories to the Olympians’ letter on condition of anonymity for that same reason. One of them said:

“Our sport has grown tired of seeing governors survive to become ‘reformists’ even though they were in positions of authority and influence at a time when, to quote one of the critical reports, ‘many of the more problematic features of the aquatics culture’ could be traced back to Swim England’s leadership. So, where are the resignations from some of the key figures in charge when things went badly wrong?”

Call for resignations “from all swimming governance roles”

The letter – which echoes views voiced by many other stakeholders to this journalist - calls specifically for the resignation from all governance positions in swimming of three key current and former board members: 

• Richard Hookway,  Swim England’s chairman, who was appointed in 2021 and whose appointment as Chair of the board was recently renewed. Some stakeholders have formally complained that he has been at the helm of a continued poor culture in the way important matters have been handled.  He has strongly praised the previous leadership, describing the former CEO Jane Nickerson as “brilliant” and stating that under her leadership the organisation was “positioned strongly for continued success”. Several stakeholders have told this journalist that they feel a change of Chair is vital to build trust.
• Caroline Green, the former senior independent director of Swim England, a board member from 2018,  who departed the board on 31 December 2025.  She remains, however, on the board of British Swimming, and the letter calls for her to stand down from all governance positions in swimming. 
• Neil Booth, a board member since 2017 according to Companies House, who has been the board’s champion in the area of safeguarding* – an area subjected to particular criticism in recent independent reports.

(*Neil has been a sterling servant to the sport in many technical positions. The letter is not addressed to his role in those positions, in which his expertise and skills are widely praised, but only his board and other governance roles.)

THE DAMNING REPORTS 

The letter comes in the wake of three damning reports in recent years, which the Olympians’ letter refers to: 

1. The Weston Report, commissioned by Sport England after many complaints about Swim England. The report, published in March 2023, concluded that Swim England’s safeguarding procedures were so poor they failed the sport, and recommended numerous reforms. 

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A complaint to Sport England by parents of the victims of Swim England’s disaffiliation of Ellesmere Titans concluded that Swim England breached its funding agreement because of its poor procedures. That complaint to Sport England from the Titans’ families also led to Swim England finally introducing a procedure for complaints against itself - Swim England having refused to provide any formal method for anyone to complain about it until that point.

2.   The Listening Report, compiled by independent firm the Behavioural Architects, published in February 2024. This report was commissioned as part of the Heart of Aquatics programme to look at the culture of the sport. The report - based on a listening exercise and focus groups along with a survey completed by thousands of members - makes for damning reading.  

Stakeholders perceived that, “Many of the more problematic features of the aquatics culture are believed to flow top down from Swim England itself…” and that the organisation:

• was unsupportive in its welfare and safeguarding activity;
• was “preoccupied with managing away complaints rather than listening to critical voices and reflecting on its own culture”;
• lacked empathy;
• led a sport in which there was “ongoing fear of complaining about Swim England due to a perceived risk of retaliation” and “..a fear of potential backlash for saying something unfavourable”.

People also described feeling bullied or gaslit by senior staff. 

Only 32% of the thousands of members responding to the survey agreed with the statement that they trusted Swim England, only 30% agreed that it treated its members fairly and equally. 

3.  A 2024 report by an independent investigator into three safeguarding cases. The report, according to the BBC, found that correct procedures had not always been followed and some investigations could have been undermined or influenced – confirming concerns expressed in a number of past complaints.

These damning reports prompted a series of reforms and projects, many of which were required by Sport England as a condition of future funding. They included a major rewrite of the safeguarding and judicial regulations, a review of safeguarding files going back decades, and a revision of the Swim England complaints system to ensure historic complaints about Swim England could be heard independently – something the board has already backtracked on in part: 

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'Lack of Accountability'

The Listening report itself made clear the desire for a change of leadership at the very top:

“A key concern is that those responsible for the problems raised in the Weston report are the same people overseeing reforms, particularly among those who have been involved in aquatics for a long time. ….People worry that Swim England will continue to find ways to protect those in positions of power or influence…”.

Yet despite the past failures, the need for external intervention to promote reform, and the widespread lack of trust, board members have refused to resign. A minute of the board of March 25, 2024, following the Listening Report merely states:

“Several Board members, including the Chair stated that they would be prepared to stand down if it was agreed this would be of benefit to the organisation and to the sports. Following a thorough discussion, it was unanimously agreed that any resignations would not serve any positive purpose.”

The minute did not elaborate on why board members considered themselves the best people to govern and reform the sport after such spectacular past failures. Nor did it explain how the board reached the conclusion that resignations would not serve the positive purpose of fostering trust, when the community that has expressed such profound distrust in the Listening report has also expressed its concerns about those responsible for the failures being in charge of reform. 

Stakeholders who have spoken to this journalist disagree with the board’s verdict on itself. As it was put by one stakeholder, who did not wish to be named:

“That brief board minute is the height of arrogance and shows contempt for stakeholders. We made our views of the leadership very clear in the Listening report. The fact that the board refuses to accept responsibility for the poor state of affairs by resigning shows how little it has truly taken in from that report. To me that seems like the defensiveness and lack of self-critical reflection the report refers to are as alive and well as ever.”  

SWIM ENGLAND RESPONSE

After this journalist asked Swim England to comment, Andy Salmon responded on behalf of Swim England and those called on to resign, thanked the Olympians for revealing their concerns and noted that Swim England would convene an extraordinary Board meeting to discuss the matter.

There have been no resignations to date. We will update you with further developments as soon as there is concrete action and reporting is possible. 

The Olympians' Letter 

The open letter sent to this journalist has been signed by more than 20 of GB’s Olympic swimmers concerned over the governance of the sport, and is addressed to the current board of Swim England and to former longstanding member Caroline Green, who recently left the board but remains at the top table of British Swimming. 

Those who have signed the letter hope that their intervention will induce those concerned to take proper notice of the reasons why a change at the top tables of their governing bodies is needed. As the Olympians put it:

“It seems unthinkable that shareholders of a commercial company would tolerate such a situation but - as the Post Office scandal showed – publicity/public pressure is often the only route to achieve appropriate resignations with bodies that are not otherwise accountable.” 

The letter makes it clear that those signing it – in common with others that this journalist has talked to - have full confidence in the new CEO, Andy Salmon, who took over in 2024 following the retirement of Jane Nickerson. Salmon, who was widely praised for his leadership of British Triathlon before his move to swimming, has been variously lauded as a “breath of fresh air”, a “person of complete integrity” and “exactly the right person for the very difficult job of turning Swim England around”.

However, in the Olympians’ view, echoing those expressed by others, key board resignations are needed to “secure an improved culture from the very top” and “restore the community’s trust”:

THE LETTER TO THE SWIM ENGLAND BOARD IN FULL

Dear Swim England board and Caroline Green,

Swim England has let down its membership. 

The 2023 Weston Report condemned your procedures as so unfair they failed the sport. A 2024 report revealed your members’ damning verdict, including their perceptions of an organisation deaf to criticism, which retaliates against those who speak out, and which lacks empathy. 

An independent survey showed that nearly 70% of the thousands of members who replied do not trust you. And a recent investigation raised significant concerns over your past safeguarding practice.

It seems unthinkable that the board of a commercial company that failed so badly would survive. Yet you have simply declared yourselves fit to govern, pronouncing (without explanation) that your own resignations “would not serve any positive purposes”.

We beg to differ. We have confidence in the new CEO, Andy Salmon and are supportive of the heartening changes he seems keen to make. But our sport needs a whole new start. You proclaim a culture change. You say one of your key “enablers” is to “build trust”. But we believe that if your own culture had really changed you would recognise your own failings and - above all - the value of key resignations for building that trust in our sport.

If you truly care about aquatics, we ask you show to this through the resignations from all aquatics governance positions of your Chair, Richard Hookway, your former Senior Independent Director, Caroline Green, and the board member who has been responsible for safeguarding, Neil Booth. 

Actions speak louder than words. It’s now time for real action and a clear signal of change. Only then can we move forward as the “One Swim England” you want to us to be.

Signed by the Olympians (names supplied in confidence).