The decision by Kitty Chiller to ban both Josh Palmer and Emma McKeon from attending the closing ceremony at Rio and to impose sanctions would appear to be harsh on the surface.
If what has been reported is true then Chiller was justified in the case of Palmer, but the jury is still out on McKeon.
After all of the bad press about the swimming team that attended the Olympics in London 2012 there has obviously been a concerted effort made by Swimming Australia to improve the culture and a big part of that is team discipline.
All of the 420 athletes attending Rio would have undoubtedly been issued with strict rules and the protocol to follow should they leave the Olympic Village especially at night time, was a curfew enforced by Chiller? That information we are not privy to, but you would have thought so.
With the now well-documented story of the four USA swimmers including multiple gold medallist Ryan Lochte who fabricated being held up at gunpoint it’s hard to believe the credibility of Palmer’s similar story.
However in the case of McKeon she reportedly contacted a number of her teammates to let them know that she was having difficulty in getting back to the Olympic Village. Why she didn’t notify team management though remains unclear.
With the Australian swimmers reportedly unable to attend the Opening Ceremony due to a number of them having to compete early on the first day of the Olympics, it must have made it even more devastating for Palmer and McKeon when the sanctions were imposed.
It must have been difficult when the realisation hit them that they would be missing the closing ceremony.
An important point that should be noted here is that Chiller’s controversial decision to ban both Palmer and McKeon impacted on the morale of the Australian team. There was a petition to have McKeon allowed to attend the closing ceremony which was reportedly circulated around.
Call it a coincidence or not, at the end of the day it was good to see that common sense prevailed after Kitty Chiller did a backflip and reinstated McKeon for the closing ceremony. As for Palmer he’ll probably have to watch it on TV like the rest of us.
Hansie
Guest
With the female flag bearers, you do realise that women win most of Australia's gold medals, don't you?
howzyapappa
Guest
I wish I was there and getting amongst it. Hell, if my kids were going to the Olympics in Rio I would tell them to have the time of their lives once their events were over. If they get into some trouble then that is their responsibility. Palmer might have hooked up with Robert Allenby.
andrew
Guest
The punishment on Palmer is fine, however, am i to believe that 400 odd athletes over 16 days, in a party town like Rio and he is the only one to have been out past curfew?
mike j
Guest
Is it? Try reading it one day, cuck. I'll expect to see you bemoaning its many female empowerment/victimhood articles in future.
mike j
Guest
Oh no... McKeon didn't know the rules?
mike j
Guest
Am I actually serious about that thing I didn't say? No, and put your glasses back on. Anna would have been my pick, too. Anna's great. And Chiller was always going to pick a woman. See how two different things are different?
1st&10
Guest
Curfews are good enough for adult recruits at the police academy Goulburn . -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Telling grown-ups in their late 20s to stay in their rooms unless advised otherwise, well, you know....
Brendon
Guest
Take your MRA agenda and shove it. Theroar is about sport.
delbeato
Roar Guru
Oh no.
Alex
Guest
Are you actually serious in that Anna Meares was only chosen because she's female rather than the fact that Im fairly certain she was the most decorated Australian athlete at those games?
mike j
Guest
McKeon knew the rules, knowingly broke them, yet gets painted as a victim of her own actions. Why? Because she's a woman. No-one expects women to demonstrate personal responsibility. Sure, you could argue that Palmer's actions were 'morally worse', but value judgements are irrelevant. Rules are either broken or not broken. Kitty Chiller was always going to excuse McKeon. Just like she was always going to choose female flag bearers for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Hansie
Guest
The actions of AOC officials led to 9 Australian athletes spending the night answering Police questions; will Kitty Chiller ban herself from the closing ceremony? No chance, accountability goes one way with the AOC.