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Aussie pair to be sent home early from Olympics following gun controversy

Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk will leave London immediately once the event has finished.

AUSTRALIAN SWIMMERS NICK D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk will leave London immediately after their events at the Olympic Games are over.

Monk earlier this week posted a photo on Facebook of the duo posing with high-powered weapons in a US gun shop, with the pair later apologising for their actions.

Along with being sent home after their swimming events are completed, Monk and D’Arcy have been banned from using social media from July 16 to August 15, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said on Saturday.

In a letter sent to both athletes, Chef de Mission Nick Green said: “Given this incident and our previous discussions concerning your conduct, I now have concerns regarding your lack of judgment.

“As a member of the 2012 Australian Olympic Team, and as I have reminded you on previous occasions, it is an honour and a privilege to be a member of an Australian Olympic Team.

“Australian Olympians are required to meet very high standards of conduct and we cannot risk the reputation of the team through non-compliance with the Team Membership Agreement.”

If they are not required for the final session of the swimming program, the AOC plan for D’Arcy and Monk to leave London’s Olympic Village on August 4.

Green insisted the decision to take the pair to the Games, which start on July 27, had nothing to do with whether they would be successful.

“This has nothing to do with medals,” he said.

“It is all about upholding team values, in particular the high standards of behaviour set by those Olympians who came before you.”

Swimming Australia, who ordered for the photos to be removed, are conducting their own investigation.

Swimming Australia CEO Kevin Neil backed the decision of the AOC and said it served as a timely reminder to all team members of their responsibilities as representatives of the Australian swim team.

“This was a case of extremely poor judgement and through our own social media guidelines, we acted quickly to ask the athletes to remove the images from their social media accounts,” said Neil.

“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.

“This is also a timely reminder to all members of the Australian swim team that it is an honour to swim for your country and with it comes clear responsibilities in and out of the pool.”

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