Disappointment of D'Arcy compounded
- 17th August 2008
Nick D'Arcy
WHY me? That is the question defence lawyer Jack Leitner says his client, banned Olympic swimmer Nick D'Arcy, is entitled to ask.
Mr Leitner was speaking yesterday after revelations Olympic judo team member Matt Celotti, pictured left, had failed to tell Australian Olympic Committee officials about charges that resulted after an alleged incident in a Melbourne pub last year.
Mr Leitner said: "I have not spoken to Nick about it, but I would imagine he is asking himself that question: 'why is this athlete going to the Games and I'm not?'"
Celotti, 29, decided to come clean a day after he lost his opening event in the men's under-100kg judo competition.
He will face court on a charge of intentionally causing injury.
After finding out about Celotti's charge yesterday, the AOC gave him 24 hours to explain himself.
But the plumber by trade chose instead to withdraw from the Olympic village and return to Australia.
D'Arcy was dumped from the Australian swim team after his alleged assault on Commonwealth Games medallist Simon Cowley just hours after the squad was announced.
Last month Chris Jongewaard, who has been charged with driving offences over an accident near Adelaide that left fellow cyclist Matthew Rex with severe head injuries, lost an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the AOC's refusal to nominate him for the cycling squad.
Mr Leitner said the AOC agreement for the 2012 Olympics in London would have to be amended.
"Nick's and Chris Jongewaard's proceedings were well known publicly," he said.
"The difference with this athlete is the story was not brought to media attention. He kept it quiet. There is no requirement in the agreement for athletes to disclose anything."
Mr Leitner said it was legitimate to ask how many athletes had gone to Beijing with a criminal record or charges pending against them.
He said the AOC agreement did not allow the body to act retrospectively so, even if charges were subsequently discovered, an athlete already at the Games would not be recalled.
AOC media director Mike Tancred said Celotti made his application for early discharge from the Olympic team during an AOC investigation.
Top
