The former Harvard and Fordham swim instructor Joe Bernal has been barred from coaching for life by USA Swimming, which said he violated sexual misconduct policies adopted to protect athletes. The organization issued the ban on Feb. 23 for reported violations of code-of-conduct policies. The ban was first reported Monday by Swimming World magazine.

Bernal began his coaching career at Fordham, where he was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2009. He coached at Harvard from 1977 to 1991 and was named Ivy League coach of the year seven times. He also coached the Olympic medalists Bobby Hackett and David Berkoff.

Scott Leightman, a spokesman for USA Swimming, declined to provide details of the reported violations. A phone number listed for Bernal was not in service Tuesday, and he did not immediately return an email seeking comment.