Former Rochester Swim Club Orcas coach John Sfire has been added to the USA Swimming banned for life list. Specifically, he was banned for violating USA Swimming‘s code of conduct articles 450.1 of the 1985 Code of Conduct and 401.1 of the Code of Conduct in effect from 1995-1998.

This is not the first time that he has been found in violation of USA Swimming‘s code of conduct– in 2002 Sfire was banned for 1 year for acts of fraud, deception, and manipulation (code of conduct section 304.3). According to court records both Sfire and another Rochester Swim Club coach were attempting to force members out of Rochester Swim Club and to eliminate certain Board Members who had questioned Sfire’s conduct and methods.

In addition, the Rochester Swim Club Orcas were fined by USA Swimming in 2003 for falsifying times. In connection to the incident Sfire was fined and given a 6 month ban.

In 2010 the Post Bulletin, Rochester MN reported that the longtime Rochester Swim Club coach resigned.

No details are available regarding the specifics behind Sfire’s lifetime ban. However, we have included violated code of conduct articles below.