Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sullivan backs gun-pose teammates



OLYMPIC swimmer Eamon Sullivan has come to the aid of besieged teammates Nick D'Arcy and Kenrick Monk, accusing the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) of hypocrisy.

D'Arcy and Monk have been sanctioned for posing with guns on their social websites and, as punishment, will be sent home from the London Games by the AOC as soon as their swimming events conclude.

But Sullivan is asking what the fuss is all about because in 2007 Swimming Australia took the team to a Canberra rifle range as part of a bonding session.

"They haven't really done anything wrong," Sullivan told Channel 9.

"Shooting is an Olympic sport and shooters don't get into trouble for posing in their speedos."

He said the D'Arcy-Monk pose, brandishing high-powered weapons in a US gun shop, was just a case of "boys being boys".

D'Arcy and Monk returned to Australia today and quickly apologised for the photos, which appeared on Facebook and Twitter before being pulled down by Swimming Australia.

The 24-year-olds will meet Swimming Australia officials this week.

D'Arcy is a medal hope in the 200m butterfly in London, while Monk is in the 4x200m freestyle relay team.

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