Australian gold medallist Michael Diamond has lost his gun licence after being charged with drunk driving and firearms offences, following an alleged domestic dispute, police and local media said Monday.
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The 44-year-old trap shooter was arrested on Saturday and charged with high-range drink-driving, not keeping a firearm safe, and handling a firearm while under the influence of alcohol and has been granted conditional bail.
Police arrested Diamond a short time later in a nearby suburb after allegedly finding a shotgun and 150 rounds of ammunition inside his vehicle.
Diamond reportedly refused a roadside breath test and was taken to the nearest police station where his blood alcohol level was found to be 0.159, more than three times over the legal driving limit.
Diamond’s place at Rio was already under a cloud, with his selection being challenged by 16-year-old shooter Mitchell Iles.
“We can confirm that Shooting Australia is working closely with Michael to support him to and to ensure his welfare is protected”, Shooting Australia said.
Shooting Australia said it was aware of the charges but was still gathering information and was not in a position to make a statement about them.
Diamond, along with Olympic bronze medallist Adam Vella, were set to be selected by SA last month but the governing body held off naming the team pending Iles’s hearing.
Diamond won gold medals at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics in the trap shooting events, and is aiming to compete in his seventh straight Olympic Games in Brazil.
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Olympics: AOC President John Coates has welcomed the news that former Australian swimming coach Scott Volkers won’t be part of the Brazilian delegation headed to Rio.
