The Australian swimmers who admitted to “stupid” actions, including taking the sleeping pill Stilnox weeks after it was banned by the AOC, may face additional sanctions sometime next week when a report detailing their childish behavior is released.
“We decided to continue in what we felt was a harmless activity and tradition,” the swimmers explained in a statement. “We acknowledge that our actions on the night were stupid.”
London medalist James Magnussen and his 4x100m relay teammates Eamon Sullivan, Matt Targett, James Roberts, Tommaso D’Orsogna, and Cameron McEvoy were already fined and given deferred suspensions by Swimming Australia in February after speaking with a review board that was commissioned to investigate why the team fell well short of its medal target for London.
The review board concluded that the “toxic incidents” - which included hazing, prank phone calls, and a “lack of collective leadership” - led to the team’s worst showing in two decades, and Australian head coach Leigh Nugent stepped down from his post after accepting responsibility.
Now an AOC spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald that the swimmers could see a withdraw of funding and Magnussen could lose at least part of the $17,500 in incentives he made for winning his silver and bronze medals last summer.
