Fallen swimming star Geoff Huegill says he's daunted by the prospect of one day explaining to his young daughters that their parents were busted with cocaine.
Huegill, 35, and his publicist wife, Sara, 30, were given six-month good behaviour bonds at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday after they pleaded guilty to possessing the drug at the Randwick races in Sydney.
Magistrate Clare Farnan cited their "exceptional character" in her decision to record no criminal conviction.
But she said it was disturbing that Huegill, who was looked up to in the community, would use illicit drugs.
"It's even more of a mystery for someone with so much to lose like you do," Ms Farnan said.
During proceedings, Huegill, dressed in a navy suit, sat expressionless next to Sara, who wore all black.
Police stopped the two-time Olympic medallist on April 26 as he emerged from the disabled bathroom at a private function at the autumn racing carnival.
He was carrying a small quantity of cocaine.
The couple's lawyer, Dean Woodbury, said Sara volunteered to officers she was also carrying the drug.
"This is going to live with them, unfortunately, for the rest of their lives," Mr Woodbury said.
Outside court, the Huegills said the ordeal had been extremely stressful.
"We have let down a lot of people, those who supported us and trusted us," Huegill told reporters.
"That's the part that hurts us the most."
He said it would be difficult to explain the incident to their daughters, aged two-and-a-half and four months.
"Whilst they are quite young at the moment, at some stage in the future both Sara and I are going to have to have this conversation with our girls," he said.
"Hopefully, their lives won't be affected."
Huegill is the latest former Australian swimmer to fall from grace, after fellow Sydney Olympians Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett spent time in rehab this year.
Huegill won silver and bronze medals at the Sydney Games before retiring after the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
The butterfly swimmer lost more than 40kg to make a comeback in the pool and won two gold medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games before missing out on the London Olympic team.
He married Sara in 2011.
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