Gun-toting Aussie Swimmers Prohibited From Using Social Media

Gun-toting Aussie Swimmers

As punishment, the gun-toting Aussie swimmers have been banned from using social media by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

Australian swimmers Nick D'Arcy and Kenrick Monk posted on Facebook photos of themselves at a gun shop in the United States where members of the Australian Olympic swimming team had been training and competing in the qualifiers for the London Olympics. They were slammed by anti-gun groups in Australia and later deleted the pictures under pressure from governing body Swimming Australia.

The AOC said that the gun-toting swimmers are not only banned from using their social media accounts but will be also sent back to Australia after their events at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"Australian Olympians are required to meet very high standards of conduct and we cannot risk the reputation of the team," the AOC said in a statement.

The AOC added that the punishment was separate to a disciplinary process being carried out by Swimming Australia (SA).

SA supported the AOC's decision and added that that they had yet to finish their own internal process.

"We will be speaking with the athletes involved further about this matter, and reminding them about their responsibilities as representatives of the Australian swim team," SA said in a statement on Saturday.