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.
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The nine athletes were briefly detained, collectively fined 90,000 reais (RM112,205) and had their passports seized after entering the basketball arena without proper accreditation on Friday night.
Chiller says Rio was the toughest Games she has been involved in, but remains proud of the team and insists a top five spot on the medal table is still achievable at future Olympics.
Asked how it could not be the fault of the athletes, Chiller replied: “We will complete our own internal investigation about how the circumstances arose that the athletes arrived in the venue with accreditations with a different access code to their own”. The athletes have not been identified.
The athletes are being accompanied at the police station by Australian Olympic Committee lawyer Fiona de Jong.
Chiller added that she was “disappointed” at the athletes’ treatment, adding: “We have and will continue to provide as much support and counselling to them and their parents”. I’m reticent to discuss it here and now because I haven’t discussed it with swimming, ‘ Chiller said.
“I have told each and every one. they have not let anyone down”, she said.
It may seem trivial but Rio authorities are in no mood for any more misbehaviour from athletes after the incident involving American swimmer Ryan Lochte, who lied about being held up and robbed.
Venues are often less than full in many sports at the Rio games, even for finals matches. “They were looked after”, she said. “We have apologised for that mistake before the magistrate and prosecutor”, Ms de Jong said.
The athletes were fined and their passports were seized after they were charged with falsifying accreditation to get into a venue.
“I am very disappointed our athletes had to go through what then went through last night”. A tenth, cyclist Matthew Glaetzer, was not charged but detained as a witness.
For the record, plenty of countries spent a lot more and you don’t have to scratch too deep to find someone to show you how coughing up to inspire kids to throw some hoops or take up rugby sevens pays for itself in national health outcomes many times over.
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Swimmer Josh Palmer, however, will be free to join the Monday flight after being interviewed by Rio police for almost six hours on Saturday over his claims he was robbed at gunpoint in Copacabana.
