Controversial swimmers Nick D'Arcy and Kenrick Monk were blasted as foolish by Australia's Olympic authorities today for posting a photo of themselves posing with guns on the Internet. The Australian Olympic Committee said the photograph posted on Facebook and Twitter was foolish and and clearly inappropriate for members of the 2012 Australian Olympic Team. Anything that is not in the Olympic spirit,or does not follow our guidelines will come down, said Nick Green,chef de mission of Australia's 2012 Olympic team. This incident serves as a warning to all athletes on the 2012 Team about the dangers of social media. Green said the sport's governing body was investigating the incident,which was greeted with anger in their native Australia where guns have been a sensitive issue since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people. The photo showed a pouting D'Arcy brandishing a pistol and Monk holding two shotguns crossed over his chest inside a US gun shop. Swimming Australia said the image had been taken down,adding that it in no way condones these photos,and does not condone the posting of inappropriate content on Facebook,Twitter or any social media platform. The athletes involved are currently returning from a training camp and competition in the US,and will be spoken to further upon their return it said. This is a timely reminder for athletes to more be responsible to themselves,the public with whom they engage through social media,and the reputation of the sport. It is an unwelcome development for the pair,who have both been embroiled in controversy ahead of the London 2012 Games. The divisive D'Arcy,24,was kicked off the Beijing Olympic team after assaulting fellow swimmer Simon Cowley in a Sydney bar the night he was selected for the 2008 Games. He pleaded guilty in a 2009 criminal court case to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm and was given a suspended 14-month jail sentence,with the damages case against him sending him bankrupt. Monk,also 24,was not expected to qualify for London after fracturing his elbow in a fall from his skateboard which he tried to cover up with a fake story about a hit-and-run on his bicycle on his way to training. He was forced to retract the tale in a dramatic and embarrassing press conference just days later but went on to recover and book an Olympic berth.
