Michael Delany, second from left, and the rest of the 'Mean Machine' during the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (Neil Brooks, Greg Fasala, Mark Stockwell). Picture: News Ltd Archive Source: news.com.au
- Mean Machine relay star speaks out
- His verdict on the London swimmers? "Pathetic"
- In his day, it wouldn't have got like this
That's the verdict from an Olympic relay legend on today's statement from the shamed London 4x100 relay team - who today admitted to a wild, Stilnox-fuelled bonding night in the lead-up to last year's Games.
Michael Delany, who at 18 won silver as part of Australia's legendary "Mean Machine" 4x100 relay team at the 1984 Games, could not be more scathing of the team when he spoke to news.com.au this afternoon.
"They couldn't speak for themselves," Delany told news.com.au. "I thought it was pathetic that there was just the one statement."
Delany's verdict of Swimming Australia Barclay Nettlefold's announcement he would punish the swim stars with a "letter, sanction or fine" was the same: "Pathetic".
Swimmers Eamon Sullivan, Matthew Targett, James Magnussen, James Roberts, Cameron McEvoy and Tomasso D'Orsogna fronted the media with a joint statement read by Australian Swimming Association CEO and former Olympic swimmer Daniel Kowalski, and then answered media questions.
Mr Delany said the antics in London, where swimmers used Stilnox on a wild bonding night in the lead up to the Games, probably would not have happened in 1984.
"There were strict rules. Laurie Lawrence was my coach at the time and he just wouldn't put up with this stuff, or crap as he'd put it."
"When Neil Brooks, who was in the Mean Machine with me, was having an issue with one of the officials, he was sent home."
Olympic swimmer Jade Neilsen has accused three men's relay team members of inappropriate behavior.
That should have happened in this case, Delany said, adding that age was no excuse for the team's immaturity.
"Everyone who's saying they're only young, messing around ... The previous people that went before them were all 17, 18, 19. I just don't cop that."
He said the current circus was particularly insulting as the swimmers have more taxpayer support when they did in 1984, when swimming was still considered an amateur sport.
Delany said Australians should not act too much like wowsers - it was fine for athletes to party hard after the Olympics, just not in the lead-up to competition.
"Once you finish competing, provided it doesn't affect anyone else, of course you go out and let off some steam."
"You know what it's like having your head in a chlorinated pool for the best years [of your life]."
The team's claims that Stilnox was not a drug that affected athletic performance were unbelievable, Delany said.
"I just can't believe that," he said. "In my day you trained so hard you couldn't get to bed quick enough."
Prime Minister Bob Hawke with the "Mean Machine". Michael Delany on the far left. Picture: News Ltd Archive
Delany said the only sponsorship he got in the team was a pair of green and gold Speedos.
"I was very thankful for that," he said. "I was just so honoured and thrilled to be an Australian Olympian."
The London Olympic 4x100 relay team, which included swim star James Magnussen, fronted the press this afternoon.
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