Australia’s Olympic committee has imposed a curfew on two swimmers who failed to return to the athletes’ village during a night out in Copacabana.
Emma McKeon and Josh Palmer, who were among a group of Australian swimmers out at a nightclub on Tuesday, must stay in the Olympic village between 8pm and 8am, while Swimming Australia has imposed a 2am curfew on all its athletes.
McKeon, 22, became separated from her teammates and chose not to return to the athletes’ village.
She remained in Copacabana with a female friend, but her failure to tell officials where she was violated team rules.
According to the committee’s account of events, Palmer, 25, also became separated from teammates but continued drinking with a friend from Melbourne at a beach kiosk.
He was then approached by a man who forced him to withdraw $1,000 in cash from a nearby ATM at gunpoint, he told Olympic officials.
Palmer was apparently found at 2pm on Wednesday by two businessmen in the Copa district who said he was “disoriented” and had lost his wallet and phone. They called the Australian consulate who then contacted the team’s head of security.
He chose not to lodge a police complaint.
As punishment, neither Palmer nor McKeon will be allowed to participate in Sunday’s closing ceremony.
In addition they have been restricted to travelling to events only in official Olympic transportation.
The punishment was handed down by Kitty Chiller, the chef de mission of the Australian Olympic Committee, who said in a statement that their behaviour was “unacceptable” and in breach of disciplinary protocols.
“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.”
Swimming Australia said it supported Chiller’s decision and imposed a 2am curfew on all its athletes for the remainder of the Games.
Jacco Verhaeren, the coach, said McKeon and Palmer conducted themselves professionally during the games and were being punished for putting their safety at risk.
“To clarify, I’ve followed AOC safety protocol in not travelling to village alone,” McKeon tweeted late on Thursday. “My error was not texting my team manager. #noclosingforme”
McKeon won four medals in Rio – one gold, two silvers and bronze. Palmer failed to make the final in the 100m breaststroke.
Chiller had earlier “read the riot act” – her words – to the Australian men’s rugby sevens players who reportedly “staggered into the athletes’ village” around 9am on Saturday after a drunken night out in Copacabana.
Before the Games began, Chiller had barred Australian athletes from drinking alcohol in the village, and being drunk around athletes who were still competing.
