Leading swimming coach Paddy Garratt has threatened to take York City Baths Club to an industrial tribunal after having his contract with the club terminated.

The former England and Great Britain head coach said today that he was "vigorously contesting" the move, which followed disputes with club officials.

He also said that the situation has put in jeopardy YCBC swimmer Caroline Foot's chances of making it to her third Olympic Games.

Foot is married to Garratt and, along with some other top York swimmers such as British junior international Robin Francis, is coached individually by the 62-year-old.

However, under terms of employment notice, Garratt - who coached Duncan Goodhew to Olympic glory and Mark Foster to world gold during a 40-year coaching career - is due to leave York City Baths at the end of May.

This will end a nine-year association with the club, who he joined just 30 months after taking the Great Britain squad to the Seoul Olympics.

Club secretary Wendy Emmerson said: "The executive committee of the Baths Club took a decision in February to terminate a contract for coaching services.

"It's a private members' club and this is an internal matter."

She declined to outline the reasons for Garratt's impending departure, and club chairman John Parker was unavailable for comment.

However, Garratt said: "It all stems from an internal dispute, in which I was trying to stick up for myself. As far as I am concerned, this dispute was handled incorrectly by the club."

He said the dispute arose from a disciplinary matter concerning a young swimmer at the club, and his own handling of that.

But he added: " That is no longer the issue and I don't think it is fair for me to talk about that. The issue now is that, as far as I'm concerned, the club treated me unfairly.

"They chose not to support me in that matter, and they would not allow me to have my chosen representative - someone from the British Swimming Teachers' and Coaches' Association - at a meeting about it.

"I objected to that and it is my opinion that they sacked me to get me out of their hair."

He added: "My only interest is in the swimmers and their development to the highest possible level of ability."

Of Foot's chances of making the Olympic team, he said: "All this could not have happened at a worse time, and in my view shows those officers at YCBC have scant regard for their top swimmers."

Foot, who this week returned from the World Short Course Championships in Athens where she set - then lost - a British 50-metre butterfly record, will definitely leave the club with Garratt.

But where she will train and which club she will swim for is not yet known.

"It will hamper her chances of getting to Sydney, unless we can sort out a plan for when I leave," he added.

It is understood that a part-time position as coach has been advertised by the club.

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