Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk have been banned from twitter. The two gun-totting Aussie swimmers got into trouble last week for tweeting a picture of themselves holding firearms. The Olympic team has decided to keep the two swimmers away from social media until after the Olympics over.
D’Arcy and Monk will also be sent home from the Olympics as soon as they are done swimming in their events.
The swimmers apologized for the photos after they were criticized by anti-gun groups in Australia.
D’arcy wrote:
“It was all just meant to be a bit of fun, the photos were just a bit of fun… If anyone’s been offended I deeply apologize. It was never the intent, it was never supposed to be offensive.”
But the apology was too little too late. The Australian Olympic Committee released a statement today saying that the two gun-toting Aussie swimmers would be punished for the careless use of social media.
The AOC said:
“The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has decided Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk will be sent home to Australia at the conclusion of their swimming events at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The AOC Selection Committee met today and also decided that D’Arcy and Monk will be banned from using social media, including Twitter, Facebook and blogging, for the Games’ period of July 16 to August 15, 2012.”
Reuters reports that this isn’t the first incident involving D’Arcy and Monk. In 2008, D’Arcy was kicked off the Olympic team after getting into a fight with former swimmer Simon Cowley at a bar. Monk also got in the trouble with the team when he lied about an injury. Monk told police that he was a victim of a hit and run when he actually just fell off of his skateboard.
Do you think Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk should be allowed to swim at the Olympics? Do you think their punishment is too strict?