Australian swimming community mourns the death of former Olympic coach Dick Caine, who passed away at the age of 78 after a battle with terminal cancer. His death comes just weeks after he was convicted of raping and sexually abusing six female students.
Caine was found guilty of 39 offenses committed against the teenage girls during the 1970s and 1980s, with incidents occurring at a Sydney swimming pool, in his home, and in his vehicle. The victims were set to present their impact statements at a special hearing in December, which is now unlikely to take place due to Caine’s passing.
During the conviction hearing, District Judge Paul McGuire highlighted Caine’s preference for underage girls, noting that one victim was as young as 10 years old. The judge emphasized the significant power imbalance Caine held over the young athletes, who relied on him for their swimming aspirations.
Caine was arrested in 2022 but did not attend any part of his trial, having been deemed unfit to appear due to his health conditions, including terminal lung and throat cancer. Serving as head coach at Carss Park swimming pool in Sydney for over 40 years until his retirement in 2018, Caine trained numerous Olympic and world champion swimmers.
Child protection advocate Hetty Johnston expressed disappointment that the upcoming hearing for the victims will no longer occur, stating, “It’s a tragedy that it took so long to reach this point in the legal process, only for him to pass away.” The community reflects on a complex legacy intertwined with serious allegations of abuse.
