Nick D’Arcy In Trouble With Law Down Under; Now Charged With Assault; Releases Statement

Updated April 2, 2008

SYDNEY, Australia, March 29. ACCORDING to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald, newly-minted Olympian Nick D'Arcy is allegedly in trouble with the law after a bar fight.

According to the article, "the altercation took place at a bar at Sydney's King Street wharf area around 2:30am today – just hours after D'Arcy was officially named on the Australian Olympic swimming team for Beijing."

The Australian Olympic Committee has a rule structure in place by which D'Arcy could be removed from the team due to disreputable behavior.

The article also states that the fight may have led to a broken nose for Simon Cowley, a former Commonwealth Games champion.

Full text of The Sydney Morning Herald article.

Swimming Australia later released a statement regarding the situation:

Swimming Australia is aware that swimmer Nick D'Arcy was involved in an incident in a Sydney nightclub early on Sunday morning that is now the subject of a NSW Police investigation.

Swimming Australia has begun its own internal investigation into the matter and will be assisting the NSW Police to gather further information.

Swimming Australia will consider disciplinary action upon completion of the police investigation and its own internal inquiries.

No other members of the Australian Swimming Team were involved in the incident.

As a result of the incident Nick D'Arcy has this afternoon informed Swimming Australia of his decision to withdraw from the team for the FINA World Short Course Championships.

The World Short Course Championships commence in Manchester on April 9.

As of March 31, D'Arcy has been charged with assault in this incident, according to SI.com.

The article reports that "he was granted bail and is to appear in court April 21. Police said the charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison."

Full text of SI.com article.

D'Arcy has since released a statement on the incident:

"I deeply regret my involvement in this incident and the injury occasioned to Simon Cowley," D'Arcy told The Daily Telegraph. "This was a night marked for celebration of the selection of the Australian Olympic Swimming Team. I sincerely regret the embarrassment caused to Australian swimming, the Australian Olympic Swimming Team and to my family. I am a talented swimmer who has trained with great intensity, sacrifice and discipline with my coach Brian Stehr for many years."

Full text of Daily Telegraph article.

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