The AOC has reversed its decision to ban Australian swimmer Emma McKeon from attending the Rio Olympics closing ceremony, Australian chef de mission Kitty Chiller said.
McKeon and Josh Palmer, also a swimmer, had been disciplined by the AOC for breaches of team protocol after Palmer said he was robbed on a night out, and both failed to return to the Olympic Village.
But Chiller said she was persuaded to change her mind, allowing McKeon to attend Monday’s (AEST) closing ceremony, after the swimmer wrote a letter with a tone indicating she understood AOC protocols.
Chiller rejected any notion her decision was pressured by public opinion.
McKeon has won four medals in the pool in Rio — gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay, bronze in the 200m freestyle, silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay, and another silver in the 4x100m medley relay.
Palmer finished fifth in his heat of the 100 metre breaststroke on day one of the Games.
Curfew imposed on team members after incident
Earlier, Chiller said the pair left a nightclub in Copacabana in the early hours of Wednesday morning (Rio time).
“McKeon chose to stay the night with swimming friends in the Copa district without informing team management,” her statement said.
“Palmer headed to a beach kiosk with a friend and continued drinking. The others headed back to the village and did not breach any rule.
“Palmer has told officials that after his friend left he was approached by a man who forced him to withdraw $1,000 in cash from a nearby automatic teller machine.
“Palmer was found later by two businessmen in the Copa district who reported that the swimmer was disoriented and had lost his wallet and phone.”
The businessmen phoned the Australian Consulate who contacted the head of security for the Australian Olympic Team, Greg Nance.
Palmer has chosen not to report the incident to police, Chiller said, despite being advised to do so.
“We’re not able to investigate any further and obviously we can’t force him to go to the police,” she said.
Chiller said the pair must remain in the Village between 8:00pm and 8:00am local time and only travel to sporting events in official Rio 2016 transport during the day.
The swimming team management also imposed a 2:00am curfew on all team members for the rest of the Games.
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This post originally appeared on ABC News.
Top Comments
Thank goodness for that. I am glad common sense has prevailed. She did the right thing. She didn't risk going back alone that late. She should never have been banned. Political correctness and rules, regulations and red tape gone MAD! Kitty should be relieved of her position. It's clear she gets off on being a dictator. These are grown adults. Time for all the red tape and regulations crap to be revised and changed in time for the next Olympics. Or Commonwealth Games.
Time for tax payer funding of these athletes to stop as well.
If that is so, it is then time for Australia to stop claiming medals that we didn't work for, as ours. Can't have it both ways.
So you cry loud enough you can break the clear rules?
I think there would have been quite a lot of pressure on Kitty Chiller to reverse her decision.
Of course there would and she caved. Now she can't punish ant athlete that goes out and "forgets" to check in without massive double standards
She did the right thing. She didn't risk going back alone that late. So she forgot a text. If Ms Kitty Dictator was *that* worried, why didn't she call her, herself? The public outcry was justifiably overwhelming. There would have been a public relations disaster if they didn't wake up to themselves and reverse the decision. Emma is owed an apology.
Because the person involved was an adult and not a child. Yes, she took the safe option but still broke the rules and should accept the consequences.