Australia’s Olympic ambitions were distracted by a bizarre row today after one of its athletes complained he was banned from sleeping with his wife in the Games Village.
Shooter Russell Mark said his wife Lauryn - a fellow competitor - has been told to room separately during the Olympics.
Mr Mark said Australian games chiefs had enforced the ban following his wife’s provocative appearance in “lads’” magazine Zoo. Mrs Mark was shown toting a shotgun dressed in a green and gold bikini for a photoshoot published today.
Mr Mark said: “The stupid part of this...is that there are tons of gay couples on the Olympic team who will be rooming together so we are being discriminated against because we are heterosexual.”
“Every couple, whether they are married or de facto should have the AOC (Australian Olympic Committee) trying to bend over backwards to accommodate their needs. What pissed the AOC more than anything else is the photo shoot. It’s just too hard for them.”
Nick Green, chef de mission for the Australian team, dismissed the claims and denied there was discrimination against heterosexual couples.
He said: “It is simply not true. I have known Russell for 16 years.
“Accommodation and bedding are done in a particular way to ensure all the athletes are accommodated in the village.”
He said making exceptions would have a “significant domino effect”.
