Former Irish swim coach George Gibney arrested in United States

Former Irish national swimming coach George Gibney has been apprehended in the United States after evading justice for more than three decades. Mr. Gibney faces over 50 historical sexual abuse charges in his home country of Ireland, where he has not set foot since leaving over 30 years ago. The arrest was made in Florida by US Marshals who acted on an Irish extradition warrant, as reported by RTE, an Irish broadcaster.

Currently detained in the US awaiting a court hearing, Mr. Gibney has the option to contest or consent to his extradition. An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, acknowledged the arrest of a man in his 70s in the US on the basis of an Irish international arrest warrant. In light of this development, An Garda Síochána declined to provide further comments, deferring to the US authorities.

Following allegations made on the BBC podcast “Where is George Gibney” five years ago, an investigation was reopened by the Irish police. The investigation, initiated in 2020 by a specialized team within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, led to the submission of a file to the Director for Public Prosecutions three years later. Based on the file’s contents, the DPP recommended more than 50 charges against Mr. Gibney, leading An Garda Síochána to secure an extradition warrant in the High Court for his transfer from the US.

George Gibney served as a coach at the Trojan swimming club in Dublin and was also a former national swimming coach for Ireland. The collaboration between Irish and US authorities over the past six months culminated in Mr. Gibney’s arrest, marking a significant step towards accountability for the alleged crimes committed by the once-prominent figure in Irish swimming

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