AOC could withdraw funding for swimmers

23 Feb 2013, 10:34 am   -   Source: AAP
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The AOC says it could withdraw funding for five swimmers who admitted to taking a banned drug. (AAP)

The AOC says it could withdraw funding for five swimmers who admitted to taking a banned drug. (AAP)

The Australian Olympic Committee says it could withdraw funding for five swimmers who admitted taking a banned prescription drug.

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The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) could withdraw funding for five Olympic swimmers, including world champion James Magnussen, who have admitted taking a banned prescription drug before the 2012 London Games.

The AOC said on Friday it has decided to hire a Queens Counsel to investigate the drug incident and other allegations of misbehaviour within the Australian Olympic swimming team.

Magnussen and four other members of Australia's 4x100m freestyle relay team - Tommaso D'Orsogna, Cameron McEvoy, Eamon Sullivan and Matthew Targett - confessed earlier on Friday to taking the sedative Stilnox as part of a "bonding session" at a pre-Olympic camp in Manchester.

The sixth member of the squad, James Roberts, said he had never taken Stilnox in his life.

The swimmers admitted they knew Stilnox had been banned by the AOC weeks beforehand.

AOC secretary-general Craig Phillips said the five swimmers faced possible sanctions from the Olympic body, including withdrawing funding in the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The AOC could also ask for money paid under the medal incentive scheme to be returned, meaning Magnussen could be forced to pay back $10,000 given to him for winning a silver medal at the Games.

The swimmers may also have broken an Australian team agreement.

Phillips said the AOC would await the outcome of Swimming Australia's newly-formed integrity panel, who will also investigate the swimmers.

The relay team members also admitted some of them made prank calls and knocked on other teammates' hotel room doors during the night but denied entering any rooms.

Their admission follows the publication of an independent review of the poor swim team campaign at the Games which found "toxic incidents" including misuse of prescription drugs, bullying and hazing went unchecked in the lead up.

"As a result of the revelations this week arising from the swimming reviews, the AOC has decided to engage a Queens Counsel to investigate these incidents further," Phillips said in a statement.

"We would fully expect that the athletes will give their total cooperation to any investigation we mount."

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Your Comments

swimming scandal

phw - from canberra, 3 months ago

Following the pathetic and well rehearsed “confessions” of our swimming “national heroes” it is now up to some obsolete has-beens in some obsolete organisations to talk away any blemish that might hurt commercial interests associated with Australian swimming. Now the real scandal becomes visible: When nurses and teachers strike for resources to service their community an obsolete bunch of has-beens pays some QC an estimated $1500.00 an hour to “investigate” the antics of spoiled brats.

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