US EditionFormer Irish Olympic Swim Coach Arrested in Seminole County on Child Sex Abuse Charges
FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, JUL 1 – George Gibney faces over 50 historical sexual abuse charges after a renewed investigation triggered by a BBC podcast led to more than a dozen new alleged victims coming forward.
- George Gibney, the former coach of Ireland’s national swimming team, was taken into custody in Florida on July 1, 2025, in response to an Irish extradition request related to numerous allegations of past sexual abuse.
- The arrest comes after a criminal inquiry was initiated in 2020 by a specialist unit within Ireland’s police force following new allegations prompted by a BBC podcast, with the case file later submitted to the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Gibney served as coach of the Trojans swim club based at Newpark School in Dublin alongside assistant Peter Banks, who later relocated to Florida, gained U.S. citizenship, and coached Olympic swimmer Brooke Bennett, while Gardaí worked closely with U.S. officials for over six months on extradition proceedings.
- A USA Swimming spokeswoman confirmed Gibney was a member from 1995 to 1996, and court rulings and FOIA disclosures revealed Gibney’s early 1990s U.S. relocation involved support from the American Swimming Coaches Association.
- Gibney’s arrest may lead to his extradition to Ireland where he will face charges; the case highlights renewed attention to historic abuse in sport and ongoing legal and organizational scrutiny.
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27 Articles
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Former Irish Olympic swim coach arrested in Seminole County on child sex abuse charges
A former Olympic swim coach from Ireland has been arrested in Seminole County, accused of decades-old sexual abuse involving children he coached.Federal investigators say 77-year-old George Gibney was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon at a home in Altamonte Springs. Gibney is charged with 78 counts of sexual assault on a child stemming from allegations that date back to the 1970s.Surveillance video obtained by News 6 shows the moment law enfo…
Podcasts stir new sex abuse allegations against former Irish Olympic swim coach in U.S.
The American immigration and criminal status of a former Irish Olympic swimming head coach, who moved to the U.S. after being charged with dozens of instances of sexual assault of
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