Four-times Olympic gold medallist Alex Popov is considering a long-distance coaching relationship with Gennadi Touretski when he quits Australia next year to base himself in Switzerland.

After 10 years living and training in Canberra, the 30-year-old Russian king of sprint swimming has confirmed he is permanently leaving Australia in January to live in Solothurn.

He said the move followed the offer of a business proposition in Switzerland once he retired from swimming.

But Popov said there were no immediate plans to retire with next year's world championships and the Athens 2004 Olympics in his sights.

However, he refused to predict he could win a fifth gold medal at his fourth Games in Athens.

"I don't rush into these kind of predictions," Popov said.

Asked if he was a definite contender for 2004, he replied: "I hope so."

Popov is the only swimmer to have won both the 50 and 100 metres at two consecutive Olympics in 1992 and 1996.

It may be a harder road for the Russian superstar to emulate that feat if he attempts to be coached by someone based 20,000 kilometres away.

Popov said he hoped to continue to be mentored by the controversial Touretski, who was dismissed from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) earlier this year after an incident on an international flight.

"He's a free man, he hasn't got any agreement here in Australia," Popov said of Touretski.

"As I understand he can come and stay in Switzerland for up to three months and he can come back to Australia any time he wants.

"We're going to keep working together but we just have to see how things are going to go."

Asked if he would retain Touretski as a long-distance coach, Popov replied: "Could be, I hope we'll work something out."

He said his career opportunities in Switzerland meant it was an easy decision to leave Australia but he conceded he would miss the friends he made in his adopted home.

"It's been good here but the thing is that I've got good propositions after swimming in Switzerland," Popov said.

"I just have good sponsorship, without going too much into detail.

"It will be closer to Russia as well, to our parents."

Popov followed Touretski to Canberra when he was appointed head coach of the AIS swim team in 1992.

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