Several Australian Olympic athletes detained by Rio police for not having the correct accreditation to gain entry to the Boomers’ basketball semi-final against Serbia have been released.
The Australian Olympic Committee’s deputy chef de mission Fiona de Jong, who joined the athletes as they were questioned by police, said they will pay a fine of 10,000 brazilian reais (A$4,092).
“We have agreed on an outcome which is the payment of a fine and good behaviour bond for each of the athletes involved,” De Jong said. “The translation is not precise but it was effectively for using a document for a purpose not intended, falsifying a document.”
The AOC will launch an internal investigation into the incident, which left team chief Kitty Chiller fuming at Olympic organisers.
“I am very angry they had to go through this,” she said of the athletes. “The athletes are not at fault and we will provide counselling.”
In the early hours of Saturday morning, De Jong had confirmed reports that 10 Australian athletes had been questioned by police after accessing a venue without having the correct credentials.
“Early this evening a number of Australian athletes went to support their mates at the Australia-Serbia match,’’ De Jong told media at 1.30am local time (2:30pm AEST). “Ten of the Australians didn’t have accreditation to be in that part of the venue.”
“The Brazilian authorities and us are working through the issues. Nobody has been arrested. We will provide you with a more detailed statement when those discussions have advanced. No one has been arrested or charged.”
Australia lost the game 87-61 and will play in the bronze medal match against Spain on Sunday at the same venue, Carioca Arena 1.
