NSW
14256 posts
Boring stuff compared to the previous poster - but as always there just had to be one............
THE Australian men's eight had been warned to keep their behaviour in check prior to crew member Joshua Booth's arrest following yesterday's final.
Melbourne rower Booth fainted and hit his head after being detained by police for damaging a shop front.
Australian Olympic Commission Chef de Mission Nick Green said Booth, 21, had been taken to hospital as a precaution but was able to return to the rowing village in Eton Dorney where he was being monitored by the team's medical staff.
No charges have been laid but the Melbourne University rower has been told to report to police Friday for further questioning.
The men's eight finished sixth in yesterday's final, won by Germany.
Green said he received a phone call at 3.30am alerting him about the incident which he described as "unfortunate".
"We understand alcohol was involved," Green said although he was unable to confirm whether other rowers were with Booth at the time of the incident.
The Australian rowing team elected not to stay in the athletes village because of the traffic issues in getting out to the regatta site and instead have been housed in a converted vicarage, owned by the prestigious Eton College, just five minutes from the venue.
This is Booth's first Olympic Games but he has competed in two world championships campaigns, finishing seventh in the four in 2010 and fourth in the eight last year.
Booth and other crew members went out at Egham, about 90 minutes southwest of London, towards the Olympic rowing venue at Eton Dorney.
"I was with him (Booth) in the afternoon and haven't seen him since,'' said coxswain Toby Lister, adding he had last seen Booth about 10pm on Wednesday.
Lister said a group of rowers had "a few beers'' in the afternoon, post race, and that all members of the rowing squad had been warned by team officials to keep their behaviour in check.
"They just said 'you're one of the first boats finishing up so just be respectful and just be mindful of what happens the next couple of days particularly around other crews','' Lister said.
He said he had heard nothing of Booth's arrest.
"We'd all been disappointed. You don't want to go to the Olympics and finish sixth,'' he said.
Asked if Booth will be the focus of Australian Olympic Commission disciplinary action, Green said he needed more information on the rower's actions before making that decision.
"I won't deal in hypotheticals,'' he said.
"I'll wait until the information comes and I'll make a decision based on what the information says.''
Green said he received a phone call from the police station with information of Booth's arrest about 3.30am (BST) Thursday.
Rowing Australia representatives have declined to comment on the matter.
QLD
1538 posts
Beach volleyball now ! Gotta love the Germans
WA
24860 posts
Onto it guys thanks way better than that rooters game on Gem
NSW
14256 posts
Kiwi GOLD in the rowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
