Swimmer D'Arcy, a shocking roll model

I've honestly never seen an Olympics like this, with so much controversy involved in the Australian team. Is it just me?

Not likely. The information is there on the net for all and sundry to see. What's amazing is that the issues are being raised in the main stream media and isn't coming from just some leftist sports hating corner of the internet (like me here :). 

The latest head to bob up is this D'Arcy bloke, who five years ago was chucked out of the Beijing team after seriously assaulting fellow team member Simon Cowley, which he was convicted of.

And if he has divided Australia's sporting loyalties there is a suggestion he has also divided the swimming team. In general its younger members are attracted by his charisma, while the older ones who know and like his assault victim Simon Cowley do not.

The view from senior members is that sending D'Arcy home is a risk mitigation move - insurance against his turning up in a London pub after the swimming has finished and getting in a fight.

The AOC president, John Coates, banned D'Arcy from competing in Beijing after he was found guilty of assaulting Cowley. He received a suspended jail sentence and was banned from competing in the world championships the next year. He was injured and bombed out in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 but has shown a rapid comeback to top form since then. Coates believes the swimmer has ''polarised the nation'' like no other sportsperson.

The AOC could have banned D'Arcy from Olympic competition for life but instead gave him the green light. When he declared himself bankrupt to avoid paying $180,000 in civil damages to his victim, the AOC, having extracted from him written promises to behave, tried but claimed it could find no legal grounds to ban him again.
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Well, if the Olympics is about role models and inspiring people to do better, WTF is this guy even doing on the team? However fast he can swim is surely not the point. This guy is representing Australia FFS! I know we started as a nation of criminals, but this is taking it a bit far. We're not a nation of bloody thugs.

I found this video about it online. Take a look at what he did to Cowley's face (a snip above the video). It was a very serious assault, not just a few punches, requiring years of treatment and recovery. And what does he do after pleading guilty? Files for bankruptcy to avoid paying the $180,000 compensation the court ordered him to pay to Cowley. What a lovely and inspiring roll model. I'm amazed this video has had less than 400 views. 

(snip):

(video):

Also, this wasn't sorted out years ago. The whole case finalised only last year.

D'Arcy will be getting no support from me. In my view his inclusion in the team may have been legal, but it's not moral. I hope he comes last. 

Update:

He totally flopped. Didn't even qualify. Came nearly last in his semi final 13th out of 16. Now he has to leave and come home. The opinion is that his disciplinary reasons were a bit of a beat up, but used because Australian officials were worried he'd get into a fight in a London bar.

"It is going to be fairly difficult having to leave (the athletes' village) just when everyone is gearing up and getting ready to have a bit of fun," said a dejected D'Arcy, who was handed the go-home-early punishment after being photpgraphed in the US posing with guns alongside teammate Kenrick Monk.

"But I came here knowing that was going to be the deal, and I'm going to wear it."

D'Arcy was booted off Australia's team for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 after being charged and ultimately convicted of assaulting fellow swimmer Simon Cowley in a Sydney bar during team celebrations.
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 Brilliant!