Bill Phillips

Bill Phillips was a non-playing coach of the Australian water polo team and swimming team at the 1948 London Olympics. Phillips was from Sydney and studied law at Sydney University where he won a Blue in water polo. He clerked for D. R. Hall, a former New South Wales (NSW) attorney general. In 1949 Phillips established the law firm of Herbert Smith & W. B. Phillips and was admitted as a solicitor of the New South Wales Supreme Court. He was made a life member of the Society of New South Wales in 1986.

In Australian sport Phillips was known as a pre-eminent figure in aquatic sports. In 1933 he became costume steward for the NSW Amateur Swimming Association. He served as honorary secretary and treasurer of Amateur Swimming Union of Australia (ASUA) from 1941-67 and then was President until 1970. While at the 1948 London Olympics Phillips was appointed to the FINA Bureau as a member. In 1952 he became vice-president of FINA and then served as President from 1964-68.

Outside of his law career and aquatic sports Phillips was a breeder, exhibitor, and judge of Dalmatian dogs. He became President of the Dalmatian Club of Australia in 1943, and served on the committee that established what became the Royal NSW Canine Council. Phillips also judged the non-sporting group of dogs at numerous dog shows.

In 1967 Phillips was instrumental in forming the General Assembly of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Phillips drafted the constitution for GAISF and was appointed president from 1967-69. Through his efforts, FINA started the first World Championships in aquatic sports in 1973. He served as Olympic referee and judge of swimming from 1948-76, and on the Olympic jury of appeal for swimming at 14 Olympic Games for 52 years from 1948 to 2000. In 1983 he was awarded the Olympic Order (Silver) by the IOC. In 1976 Phillips was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).