Charlie Walsh
Encyclopedia
David Barry Vivian Walsh, better known just as Charlie Walsh, was the national coach for the Australian Cycling Federation
at the Australian Institute of Sport
from 1980 to 2001. He oversaw Australia's rise from between 20th and 30th in world track cycling
to number one in 1993 and 1994. Australia
came third at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney.
Walsh won more than 1,000 times in 25 years of racing at national and state level, including the Austral Wheel Race
in 1969 on a 50yd handicap.
, Mike Turtur, Dean Woods
, and Kevin Nichols
, Charlie's Angels, to win the 4,000m team pursuit at the 1984 Summer Olympics
. This was seen as a turning point in Australian cycling at world level.
In 1996 Walsh heard about the development of the Superbike by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
(RMIT), after Olympic cyclist Kathy Watt
was involved in a photo shoot with the bike. Development and production of the bike became a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Sport and RMIT.
Walsh was a tough taskmaster, leading to heated criticism of his style. His demanding training nurtured Brett Aitken
, Shane Kelly
, Dean Woods
, Kathy Watt
, Bradley McGee
, Gary Neiwand
and Stuart O'Grady
.
Walsh created and conducted international coaching courses in Switzerland for the international cycling body.
, who won two medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona, was in legal dispute with the Australian Cycling Federation
in 1996 over who would race the 3 km pursuit in the Games. Watt had been told that she would be, but she was replaced only few days before the event by Lucy Tyler-Sharman
. The case went to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport
, claiming breach of contract. The court upheld her appeal and ordered her to be reinstated in the pursuit.
Following the Games, Walsh's comments about her led to defamation lawsuits, which Watt won.
(a former AIS rider) was selected even though he did not attend the selection trial or ride the national championship, while national madision champion, Stephen Pate
(not a member of the AIS squad), was not selected.
Walsh ordered the purchase and use of Colostrum for his squad, to overcome illness. At the 1998 Commonwealth Games
cyclist Lucy Tyler-Sharman
is alleged to have refused Colostrum which precipitated argument with Walsh and her expulsion from the team and the games. The Australian team doctor said: "We would not get involved in administering anything that was dubious. Colostrum is a dairy product, not a drug. It is produced naturally at the moment of birth for babies to suckle before breast milk appears." This was supported by Brian Sando, an Australian medical official at the Games, who said: "Colostrum is high in IGF-1 (human growth hormones) but the simple fact is that when it is taken orally in tablet form, the IGF-1 is denatured in the stomach and cannot be absorbed into the body. The only way it can be absorbed is by injection. Colostrum in tablet form is nothing more than a training aid, as vitamins are, and it helps stave off infection."
Tyler-Sharman claimed she had been sabotaged by the team management by forcing her to change pedals before the semi-final of the 3000m pursuit. After her expulsion, the first Australian athlete sent home from a Commonwealth Games, she said: "My problems relate to ongoing troubles with my sport, track cycling and its officialdom.".
1987 Walsh received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to cycling as national coaching director. Three years later in 1990 he was awarded the status of World Coach by the Union Cycliste Internationale
. He has won nine awards as Australian Coach of the Year for all sports, and was awarded the Australian Sports Medal on 14 July 2000.
Since his retirement as head coach he has been a coaching consultant with cycling, including supporting and being involved in the organisation of the Tour Down Under
in South Australia
. In 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 Walsh assisted Adelaide coach Neil Craig with fitness work at the Australian Football League
team, the Adelaide Crows
.
Australian Cycling Federation
Cycling Australia, the trading name of the Australian Cycling Federation Inc, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in Australia, and represents the interests of affiliated cycling clubs and State federations...
at the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
from 1980 to 2001. He oversaw Australia's rise from between 20th and 30th in world track cycling
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
to number one in 1993 and 1994. Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
came third at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney.
Walsh won more than 1,000 times in 25 years of racing at national and state level, including the Austral Wheel Race
Austral Wheel Race
The Austral Wheel Race is the oldest track bicycle race in the world still existing, stretching back to 1887. The Austral race is Australia’s greatest track cycling event. It is held in Melbourne, riders assigned handicaps according to ability over a series of heats. The finals are run over...
in 1969 on a 50yd handicap.
Coaching career
Over his career as coach, Australia won two Olympic gold medals, nine silver, nine bronze and ten world titles. He coached Michael GrendaMichael Grenda
Michael Grenda, OAM is a retired road bicycle and track cyclist from Australia, who represented his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California....
, Mike Turtur, Dean Woods
Dean Woods
Dean Anthony Woods, OAM is an Australian racing cyclist from Wangaratta in Victoria known for his track cycling at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games...
, and Kevin Nichols
Kevin Nichols
Kevin John Nichols is a former track cyclist and Olympic gold medallist.-Career:At the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles, Nichols was a member of the gold winning pursuit team. Nichols also competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics and 1980 Summer Olympics.-References:* , from sports-reference.com;...
, Charlie's Angels, to win the 4,000m team pursuit at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. This was seen as a turning point in Australian cycling at world level.
In 1996 Walsh heard about the development of the Superbike by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
(RMIT), after Olympic cyclist Kathy Watt
Kathy Watt
Kathryn Ann Watt is an Australian racing cyclist who won two medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain ....
was involved in a photo shoot with the bike. Development and production of the bike became a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Sport and RMIT.
Walsh was a tough taskmaster, leading to heated criticism of his style. His demanding training nurtured Brett Aitken
Brett Aitken
Brett Aitken is an Australian Olympic track cyclist. He has won a bronze, a silver, and a gold medal for his nation. He won gold in the Madison event at the 2000 Olympics. He retired from cycling in 2004, but returned in 2006 to ride on the Oceania Tour.-References:...
, Shane Kelly
Shane Kelly
Shane John Kelly OAM is a former professional Australian track racing cyclist. Kelly specialized in the men's 1000 m time trial, commonly known as the Kilo. Kelly announced his retirement from international competition at the end of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics...
, Dean Woods
Dean Woods
Dean Anthony Woods, OAM is an Australian racing cyclist from Wangaratta in Victoria known for his track cycling at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games...
, Kathy Watt
Kathy Watt
Kathryn Ann Watt is an Australian racing cyclist who won two medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain ....
, Bradley McGee
Bradley McGee
Bradley John McGee OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist. He is currently a directeur sportif for UCI ProTeam Team Saxo Bank and the personal coach of young Australian rider Richie Porte. He started cycling in 1986 at the age of ten...
, Gary Neiwand
Gary Neiwand
Gary Neiwand is a retired Australian track cyclist, a former world champion, who won four Olympic medals during his career.-Early life and career:...
and Stuart O'Grady
Stuart O'Grady
Stuart O'Grady OAM , nicknamed Stuey, is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on UCI ProTeam , who started as a track cyclist. He and Graeme Brown won a gold medal in Men's Madison at the 2004 Summer Olympics...
.
Walsh created and conducted international coaching courses in Switzerland for the international cycling body.
Criticisms
A number of scandals rocked the Australian cycling under Walsh. These include accusations that selection was biased in favour of Australian Institute of Sport cyclists, often ignoring other riders, and that the track team used a banned growth hormone tablet. Those allegedly involved cannot comment for fear of legal action.Kathy Watt
Kathy WattKathy Watt
Kathryn Ann Watt is an Australian racing cyclist who won two medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain ....
, who won two medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona, was in legal dispute with the Australian Cycling Federation
Australian Cycling Federation
Cycling Australia, the trading name of the Australian Cycling Federation Inc, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in Australia, and represents the interests of affiliated cycling clubs and State federations...
in 1996 over who would race the 3 km pursuit in the Games. Watt had been told that she would be, but she was replaced only few days before the event by Lucy Tyler-Sharman
Lucy Tyler-Sharman
Lucy Tyler-Sharman is an Australian Olympic and World Champion cyclist.As a junior, Tyler was an gifted sportswoman, focussing on swimming at junior high school and later triathlons. She moved into criterium events while living in Florida and in 1988 made the move to velodrome events...
. The case went to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
, claiming breach of contract. The court upheld her appeal and ordered her to be reinstated in the pursuit.
Following the Games, Walsh's comments about her led to defamation lawsuits, which Watt won.
Stephen Pate
In March 1998 there were allegations that selectors, including Walsh, had been biased in favour of riders in the AIS squad. The selection procedure was questioned after Bradley McGeeBradley McGee
Bradley John McGee OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist. He is currently a directeur sportif for UCI ProTeam Team Saxo Bank and the personal coach of young Australian rider Richie Porte. He started cycling in 1986 at the age of ten...
(a former AIS rider) was selected even though he did not attend the selection trial or ride the national championship, while national madision champion, Stephen Pate
Stephen Pate
Stephen Pate is an internationally competitive cyclist and former Olympian. After turning pro in 1986, Pate won three world pro medals and set as many world pro records for 200m, 500m, and 1 km. In 1991, he won a bronze medal at the World Professional Championship at Stuttgart...
(not a member of the AIS squad), was not selected.
Matthew Gilmore
At the August 1998 world championships in Bordeaux, France, Australia did not perform to expectations. Walsh came in for criticism from the winner of the madison, former Australian rider Matthew Gilmore, who had taken Belgian citizenship and won with Etienne De Wilde: "I found it very stupid when Danny Clark and I were the number one (Australian) six-day riders here in Europe for two years and we weren't selected for the madison for Australia. It's their loss and my gain. I was fortunate to be able to have the option of ... getting the Belgian citizenship, where I have the full support from the Belgian Cycling Federation."Lucy Tyler-Sharman
During 1998 the head of the drug unit of the UK Sports Council, Michelle Verrocken, accused the Australian track team of using a growth hormone, Insulin Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), found in Colostrum tablets. Verrocken raised doubts on the legality of Colostrum saying: "We have to ask whether it is a scientific advance of sport or cheating."Walsh ordered the purchase and use of Colostrum for his squad, to overcome illness. At the 1998 Commonwealth Games
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
cyclist Lucy Tyler-Sharman
Lucy Tyler-Sharman
Lucy Tyler-Sharman is an Australian Olympic and World Champion cyclist.As a junior, Tyler was an gifted sportswoman, focussing on swimming at junior high school and later triathlons. She moved into criterium events while living in Florida and in 1988 made the move to velodrome events...
is alleged to have refused Colostrum which precipitated argument with Walsh and her expulsion from the team and the games. The Australian team doctor said: "We would not get involved in administering anything that was dubious. Colostrum is a dairy product, not a drug. It is produced naturally at the moment of birth for babies to suckle before breast milk appears." This was supported by Brian Sando, an Australian medical official at the Games, who said: "Colostrum is high in IGF-1 (human growth hormones) but the simple fact is that when it is taken orally in tablet form, the IGF-1 is denatured in the stomach and cannot be absorbed into the body. The only way it can be absorbed is by injection. Colostrum in tablet form is nothing more than a training aid, as vitamins are, and it helps stave off infection."
Tyler-Sharman claimed she had been sabotaged by the team management by forcing her to change pedals before the semi-final of the 3000m pursuit. After her expulsion, the first Australian athlete sent home from a Commonwealth Games, she said: "My problems relate to ongoing troubles with my sport, track cycling and its officialdom.".
Awards and Retirement
On Australia DayAustralia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
1987 Walsh received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to cycling as national coaching director. Three years later in 1990 he was awarded the status of World Coach by the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
. He has won nine awards as Australian Coach of the Year for all sports, and was awarded the Australian Sports Medal on 14 July 2000.
Since his retirement as head coach he has been a coaching consultant with cycling, including supporting and being involved in the organisation of the Tour Down Under
Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is a cycling race in Adelaide, South Australia and surrounding area. The race starts on the third Tuesday of January each year and attracts riders from across Australia and the world. In 2005, the Tour Down Under was promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale to the...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. In 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 Walsh assisted Adelaide coach Neil Craig with fitness work at the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
team, the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
.
External links
- Superbike at the Powerhouse Museum
- AIS/RMIT Olympic superbike
- Cycling News - A woman's view of the Watt Saga - 1996
- Cycling News 20 March 1998
- Cycling News August 1998
- Cycling News - Australian Cycling Problems 21 September 1998.
- Retirement of Charlie Walsh as head coach of the Australian cycling team in 2001