Australian Olympic stars reprimanded for gun photos on social media
Australian swimmers Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk have been slapped with a social media ban and will be sent home early from the Olympics as punishment for posting pictures of themselves toting guns.
The pair, who have a checkered disciplinary record, posed for the pictures at a gun shop in the United States, where the Australian Olympic swimming team had been training and competing in the run-up to London.
The pictures appeared on Twitter and facebook.
The 24-year-olds apologised after being slammed by anti-gun groups in Australia. “The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has decided Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk will be sent home to Australia at the conclusion of their swimming events at the 2012 London games,” the AOC said yesterday.
“The AOC Selection Committee met today and also decided that D’Arcy and Monk will be banned from using social media for the Games’ period of July 16 to August 15.”
The pair’s inclusion on the Australian swim team had already been contentious.
D’Arcy was kicked off the 2008 Australian Olympic team after punching former swimmer Simon Cowley at a bar, causing severe facial injuries. D’Arcy was later ordered by a court to pay Cowley damages, but avoided payment by declaring bankruptcy.
Monk last year told police he was the victim of a hit and run accident only to confess later that he had suffered his injuries, including a broken arm, when he fell off his skateboard.
The AOC said that its punishment was separate to
a disciplinary process that was being carried out by Swimming Australia (SA).
“We will be speaking with the athletes involved further about this matter and reminding them about their responsibilities as representatives of the Australian swim team,” the SA said.
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