Coach set to go to court

Mick Desmond, the coach omitted by the Irish Amateur Rowing Union from the Irish squad which is going to next month's World Championships in St Catherine's in Canada, says he is taking the union to court over the situation.

Desmond has obtained the services of solicitor Peter Lennon, who came to prominence in defending swimmer Michelle de Bruin. Lennon's office yesterday confirmed that "proceeding were in train" in the case, although Lennon himself could not be contacted by The Irish Times.

Desmond, a successful sculling coach who has been involved with a number of Irish medal winners at World Championships, says he is determined to win reinstatement for the squad travelling to Canada and there may be a question of damages.

He was the coach of lightweight quadruple scull which won bronze at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne earlier this month and thus qualified for the World Championships. Desmond says that he was informed this week that he would not be coaching the crew, but given no reasons. Ray Sims was named as coach of the quad by the union.

The manager of the team, Dermot Henihan, claimed earlier this week that the reason for the change was that "the athletes made comments to the effect that the would prefer Ray Sims".

Meanwhile, the fall-out from the World Championship selection process has unfortunately somewhat overshadowed the build-up to the Coupe de la Jeunesse at Farran Wood, Inniscarra, tomorrow and Sunday. Teams from eight nations, representing the elite of junior rowers in Western Europe, will compete. The Irish junior men's eight could provide the highlight for the home crowd on Sunday afternonn (the programme ends at two p.m.). Kenny McCarthy of Skibbereen takes over from Hugh Lynch at stroke