An investigation into an incident that led to Australian athletes being detained overnight at a Rio police station has revealed that a further 80 individuals gained entry to an Olympic Games men’s basketball semi-final by “recycling” tickets.
Nine athletes, including archers, cyclists and rowers, were fined R10,000 (£2,300/€2,800/$3,100) for their roles in the episode, but it has now been reported by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper that many more gained unauthorised access to the Australia v Serbia contest on day 14 of the Games.
The athletes were reportedly supplied with stickers to place over their accreditation passes in order to sit in the athletes’ section of the venue, with those already inside then passing tickets on to others waiting outside.
Australia’s chef de mission at the Olympics, Kitty Chiller, has insisted that those who were detained were not at fault and the Australian Olympic Committee paid the fines handed out to the athletes.
Four members of the committee’s athlete services division were flown home before the conclusion of the Games, although it is unclear whether they were directly involved in the incident.
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