Aussie D'Arcy cleared to compete

Swimmer Nick D'Arcy, who was expelled from the Australian team for the Beijing Olympics for assaulting a team-mate, was given the all clear to compete for selection for this year's London Games on Tuesday. 

The 24-year-old D'Arcy attacked Commonwealth Games champion Simon Cowley in a Sydney bar in March 2008 causing injuries including a broken jaw, broken nose and broken eye socket. He received a 14-month suspended jail sentence in 2009.

When Cowley was awarded A$180,000 ($194,000) in compensation by a civil court last year, however, D'Arcy filed for bankruptcy leading to an outcry and doubts about whether the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) would endorse his nomination for the team. 

Swimming Australia Limited (SAL) on Tuesday informed the AOC that they were retaining the 200 metres butterfly specialist in their shadow team. "SAL has clearly considered Nick D'Arcy's bankruptcy and advised the AOC they have not changed their endorsement of Nick D'Arcy's shadow team membership," Australia's Chef de Mission for the London Olympics, Nick Green, said in a statement.

  "The AOC Selection Committee decided to be guided by SAL's response on this matter and determined that Nick D'Arcy will retain his membership of the Shadow Team.

D'Arcy is Australia's leading 200 metres butterfly swimmer and set the fastest time in the world so far this year (1:56.90) at the New South Wales championships earlier this month.  The Australian trials take place in Adelaide from March 15-22.