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Australian swimmers Josh Palmer and Emma McKeon have been disciplined and won’t be allowed to attend the closing ceremony after breaking team rules after a night out in Copacabana.
Palmer and McKeon had been partying with other swimmers at the Miramar Hotel on Tuesday night (Rio Time).
From there gold medalist McKeon decided to stay with two swimmers from Sweden rather than take a taxi back to the athletes’ village on her own at 4:30am. McKeon’s mistake was not informing team management that she was not returning.
To clarify, I've followed AOC safety protocol in not travelling to village alone. My error was not texting my team manager. #noclosingforme
— Emma McKeon (@emma_mckeon) August 18, 2016
Palmer’s night was more dramatic.
After the Miramar Hotel, Palmer had been with lawyer and columnist Justin Quill at one of the many beach kiosks. They watched the sun come up and Quill eventually left thinking Palmer was going to make his way back to the athletes’ village.
No one could reach Palmer and his whereabouts were not known until 2pm when two businessmen are said to have found the swimmer looking ‘disoriented’ in the copa district.
He didn’t have his phone or wallet and claimed that he was robbed and forced to withdraw money from an ATM.
Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller had warned athletes about team rules and decided to take a firm approach to Palmer and McKeon’s breach. As well as being banned from the closing ceremony both swimmers will have a curfew between 8pm and 8am, while the rest of the Australian swimming team will have a 2am curfew.
AOC Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller says 2 swimmers disciplined for late night out in Rio.
WATCH: https://t.co/QU5xqrnQ65
— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) August 18, 2016
“Given the security problems we have encountered over the past few weeks I find the behaviour of the disciplined athletes disrespectful to the remainder of the Team,” Chiler said.
“I would like to thank the businessmen who found Josh and delivered him to the Australian Consulate and I appreciate the support given to the Team by Consulate staff”.
Chiller insists she is not a ‘party pooper’ and the team rules are in place for a reason.
“This could have ended up a lot worse. We know what goes on in Copa and Ipanema.”
“I do not want to have to call a parent and tell them that their child has been robbed, mugged or anything worse,” Chiller said.