Aussie athlete sent home from Delhi Commonwealth Games in disgrace | The Australian
Aussie athlete sent home from Delhi Commonwealth Games in disgrace
AN AUSTRALIAN athlete has been sent home from the Delhi Commonwealth Games in disgrace for late-night partying.
Australian Commonwealth Games boss Perry Crosswhite today confirmed an athlete had been sent home but refused to disclose their identity.
Im not going to tell you. Its a matter between the team and that person. Its a matter for confidentiality. We will do a report for their sport (federation), he said.
There have been accusations of all-night drinking sessions among the some Australian athletes, with some leaving the village at night against team rules.
Asked if athletes had been leaving the village after curfew, Crosswhite said he was unaware of that occurring.
Not that I know of, said at Delhi airport this morning.
At the end of the Games, these things happen. Athletes are letting their hair down and we deal with it. There are always incidents that happen.
Australian runner, Michael Shelley who won silver in the marathon yesterday - said athletes were mostly well behaved, but said he saw some celebrating teammates returning from a night out while he was eating breakfast.
Crosswhite also confirmed Indian media reports that a washing machine was thrown off the eighth floor of an Australian residential tower in the athletes village.
Delhi Police are investigating the incident, which occurred on Wednesday night.
But Crosswhite said he would be surprised if it was an Australian and blamed athletes from other countries who were in the Australian building at the time of the incident.
Indian media reported this morning Australian athletes had gone berserk after the Australian cricket team was beaten by India, destroying electrical fittings and furniture.
The Times of India report quoted police sources as saying the athletes shouted slogans against Sachin Tendulkar and flung a washing machine down from the eighth floor of their tower.
"The house-keeping staff tried to stop them but to no avail," said a senior police officer handling security inside the Village.
India completed a 2-0 Test match series sweep against Australia earlier this week.
Delhi Police, who received a complaint about this vandalism, tried to downplay the incidents to prevent them from snowballing into a diplomatic embarrassment for Australia.
Australian athletes are due to board a charter flight home today, but these reports come at the end of a Games where Australia has worked hard to improve its image after two two-fingered salutes from its athletes marred the first week of the event.