A well-regarded water polo mentor was discovered deceased in his lodging room after staff entered forcibly.
Andrew McGinty, aged 34, who served as the coach for the England and Great Britain water polo teams, was tragically found deceased at the Village Hotel in Bury on December 18 of last year. He had checked into the hotel on December 16 and was scheduled to check out two days later.
Upon his failure to check out, hotel staff forcefully entered his room, which was secured with a chain from the inside. He was found lying on a bed, as revealed in a prior inquest into his demise.
The final inquest session was conducted at Rochdale Coroner’s Court on Monday. The inquest’s official report stated that the medical cause of his passing was ‘suffocation/asphyxiation.’
Senior Coroner Joanne Kearsley affirmed that ‘the circumstances surrounding his demise suggest he intentionally took his own life’ as she documented a ruling of suicide, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
Various organizations paid homage following his passing. Swim England, the governing body for swimming in England, issued a statement honoring his contributions.
England Water Polo described Mr. McGinty as ‘highly regarded’ and highlighted his significant impact on numerous young water polo players in the north west. The tribute mentioned his successful coaching of various GB/England age-group teams and his popularity nationwide.
“A prominent figure in Swim England’s water polo division, Andy played a crucial role in the recent national program achievements.”
The City of Manchester Water Polo Club (CoM), situated at Manchester Aquatics Centre, acknowledged Mr. McGinty as an essential member for many years.
Bolton School, where Mr. McGinty served as a longstanding coach, expressed profound sorrow over the ‘tragic and unforeseen news’ that affected everyone associated with the institution.
“Andy’s dedication to water polo and his students was evident in all his endeavors. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him here.”
Residing in Higher Blackley, north Manchester, Mr. McGinty also held the role of water polo head coach at the English Schools’ Swimming Association.
They remarked, “Andy’s commitment to School Water Polo development at Bolton School for over a decade, his leadership with ESSA representative teams, and his support for the collaboration between Swim England and ESSA water polo will be cherished memories.”
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