E-Paper
Oz Olympians in gun photo row
Controversial swimmers Nick D'Arcy and Kenrick Monk were blasted as “foolish” by Australia's Olympic authorities on Thursday for posting a photo of themselves posing with guns on the internet.
Controversial swimmers Nick D'Arcy and Kenrick Monk were blasted as “foolish” by Australia's Olympic authorities on Thursday for posting a photo of themselves posing with guns on the internet.
The Australian Olympic Committee said the photograph posted on Facebook and Twitter was “foolish and and clearly inappropriate for members of the 2012 Australian Olympic Team”.
“Anything that is not in the Olympic spirit, or does not follow our guidelines will come down,” said Nick Green, chef de mission of Australia's Olympic team.
“This incident serves as a warning to all athletes on the 2012 Team about the dangers of social media.”
The photo showed a pouting D'Arcy brandishing a pistol and Monk holding two shotguns crossed over his chest inside a US gun shop.
Swimming Australia said the image had been taken down, adding that it “in no way condones these photos, and does not condone the posting of inappropriate content on Facebook, Twitter or any social media platform.”
The divisive D'Arcy, 24, was kicked off the Beijing Olympic team after assaulting fellow swimmer Simon Cowley in a Sydney bar the night he was selected for the 2008 Games.
He pleaded guilty in a 2009 criminal court case to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm and was given a suspended 14-month jail sentence, with the damages case against him making him bankrupt. Monk, also 24, was not expected to qualify for London after fracturing his elbow in a fall.
