Swimming star faces Olympics ban after bar brawl

Published on Monday 31 March 2008 22:18

A DRUNKEN late-night punch-up has rocked the record-breaking Australian Olympic swim team and left a new star facing a serious assault charge and demotion from the national team.

Former swim champion Simon Cowley ended up in hospital with serious injuries, including a broken jaw, fractured eye socket and broken nose.

Cowley, 27, was hit in a brawl at 2:30am on Sunday in a bar in Sydney where swimmers gathered to celebrate into the early hours soon after being selected for the Beijing Games.

Witnesses, who included the world record holder Eamon Sullivan, said the assailant was rookie Nick D'Arcy, who last week broke into the Olympic squad by winning the 200 metres butterfly in trials.

Police yesterday charged D'Arcy, 20, from Queensland, with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm over Cowley's beating. D'Arcy, who was bailed to appear in court on 21 April, is now almost certain to be sacked from the Olympic squad.

He has already withdrawn from the World Short Course championships in Manchester.

Until now, Australian swimming has enjoyed a squeaky clean image; drunken brawling in public is usually the domain of the country's rugby players.