Olympic gold medallist swimmer Alex Baumann is returning home from Australia to head the Canadian Summer Olympic program, Road to Excellence, a source told The Canadian Press on Tuesday.

The Canadian Olympic Committee will make the official announcement at a news conference Wednesday.

Several media outlets also reported that Baumann would head up the program.

Chris Rudge, the COC's chief executive officer, said he couldn't confirm Baumann's involvement.

``I've heard that rumour,'' Rudge said. ``I can tell you Alex Baumann is someone I hold in great esteem. His involvement in Canada would be an exciting thing.''

Rudge would not reveal details of the Road to Excellence program, but said ``it is an important step for sport.''

The Road to Excellence Business Plan was introduced last June and is the summer sports' equivalent to the Own the Podium 2010 program introduced for Canadian winter sports last year.

``We're going to talk about how important it is, the kind of things that are necessary to move it forward and the exciting things that are happening, and will be happening, as we do move forward,'' Rudge said.

``It does build on the other things that are happening in the country right now.''

Baumann has been based in Australia for several years and most recently was executive director for the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Baumann, 42, won two gold medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He won the 200-metre individual medley title and the 400-metre individual medley _ both in world-record time.

© The Canadian Press, 2007