CAPALABA weightlifting coach and chief executive of the Australian Weightlifting Federation Mike Keelan has been axed as Australia's Olympic coach less than a month out from the London Games.
Mr Keelan, who until yesterday thought he would be on the plane to London to mentor Olympic lifters Damon Kelly and Seen Lee, was told by the Australian Olympic Committee late on Wednesday night his services were no longer required.
Olympic team chef de mission Nick Green wrote a letter to Mr Keelan confirming the decision, which will see the personal coaches of both Australian athletes, Miles Wydall and Anthony Dove, now given a ticket to the Games instead.
Mr Wydall will coach Brisbane superheavyweight Kelly, as well as take over as the team's section manager, a role Mr Keelan had been told was his by the AOC as far back as the start of last year.
Mr Keelan had been planning the Olympic campaign for almost 18 months and stood beside Kelly and Lee at Chandler this month after the Olympic party had been finalised.
But an AOC spokesman said an additional accreditation caused a re-think of staffing on the team, which now allowed both athletes to be able to take their regular coaches.
Mr Keelan made headlines earlier this month when he spoke about allegations weightlifter Daniel Koum demanded $5000 at an Olympic-qualifying event in Samoa.
