Fed: Buck abused me and my brother: former Olympian

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2009
Fed: Buck abused me and my brother: former Olympian

SYDNEY, Dec 8 AAP - The former Olympic swimmer who claims he and his brother were sexually
abused by coach Terry Buck has gone public after others rubbished the possibility.

Greg Rogers won silver and gold at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and says he and
his brother were abused as youngsters by Buck, who died in 2005 in a tractor accident.

He says police approached him about an attack on his brother.

"When I found out my brother, from the age of eight, was sodomised by this evil, evil
liar I told the facts that happened to me," Mr Rogers told the Seven Network on Tuesday.

He said he witnessed others being abused by Buck but no one would back up his allegations
so police could not press charges.

Police began investigating abuse allegations in 1998, and were handed a list of 29
other alleged victims, including four Olympic swimmers.

One was a celebrated gold medallist, and two surfing champions were on the list, News
Ltd reported.

Strike Force Solano spent five months investigating the allegations after the Sydney
Olympic Games, but the case was dropped in early 2001 because of insufficient evidence.

"I have personally watched him interfere with over 29, 30 people," Mr Rogers said.

He denied reports that a civil case he launched was settled out of court in Buck's favour.

But Mr Rogers did admit his allegations had cost him.

"Everywhere, I go in the swimming fraternity doors close on me," he said.

He told News Limited newspapers he had been first targeted by Buck as an 11-year-old
at Clovelly Surf Club and that the abuse lasted for the next seven years.

But former swimmers under Buck's tutelage say they never witnessed any such behaviour
and many said Buck was not capable of sexual abuse.

The revelation comes the day after Swimming Australia announced national head coach
Alan Thompson was taking personal leave while an unrelated allegation of "inappropriate"

behaviour against him was investigated.

AAP vpm/evt/de

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