Fiona de Jong, chief executive of the Australian Olympic Committee, told reporters during a brief press conference Friday night, “Earlier this evening, a number of Australian athletes went to support their mates at the Australia versus Serbia [basketball] match”.
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Nine Australian Olympic athletes were released by police on Saturday after agreeing to a 90,000-real ($28,100 US) fine for entering the basketball arena without proper accreditation, days after a scandal surrounding USA swimmers that marred the Games.
The athletes knew they were using tampered accreditations but Australian chef de mission Kitty Chiller says it’s not their fault.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach rejected any suggestion of bad blood between athletes and Brazilian authorities. Athletes accessed the Olympic venue without the correct accreditation.
The group, representing six different sports, sat in upgraded seats for last night’s Australia versus Serbia men’s basketball semi-final.
If the Brazilian police decide to pursue the charges, the entire group could have their accreditation revoked, which would mean they face immediate deportation from Rio.
Again, de Jong was tactful. “They were looked after”, she said. “It took some time, of course, and it was late at night, but in terms of the process, we have no complaints”.
A tenth, cyclist Matthew Glaetzer, was not charged but detained as a witness.
The AOC later released a statement apologising to the athletes for their trauma.
“We have agreed on an outcome which is the payment of a fine and good behaviour bond for each of the athletes involved”, de Jong said.
She apologised to the court and explained the athletes were supporting their teammates, were not attempting to defraud anyone, no-one had suffered a material loss and no-one was harmed as a result of the incident.
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“With regard to the Australian swimmers (sic).it happened obviously last night, I got only information this morning, I can not yet comment”. “We will do everything in our power to protect Josh, and protect our athletes”, said Chiller.
