12:38 pm - 08/09/2012
The Belgian Olympic Committee has sent track cyclist Gijs Van Hoecke home from the 2012 London Games after pictures appeared in British newspapers of him looking drunk and being carried into a taxi after a night out in the city.
The pictures show Van Hoecke, who came 15th in the men's omnium on Sunday, with his eyes closed being carried by two others, including team mate Jonathan Dufrasne, with his trousers and shirt covered in liquid.
British tabloid the Mirror lightheartedly awarded the gold medal for partying to Van Hoecke when it published the pictures of the latter stages of a night out in London's Mahiki club, but Belgian officials said it was no laughing matter.
"The Belgian Olympic Committee and the Royal Cycling Federation deplore this incident, which fortunately did not affect life in the Olympic Village and athletes trying to rest ahead of their competition," the sporting body said in a statement.
Van Hoecke, 20, had been sent home immediately, the statement said.
Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws said Van Hoecke regretted the incident.
"I made a big mistake. I'm happy my parents didn't tell me off. They understand that I needed this," the newspaper quoted him as saying.
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Belgian cyclist Gijs Van Hoecke sent home from London 2012 Olympics after 'drunken' pictures appear
The Belgian Olympic Committee has sent track cyclist Gijs Van Hoecke home from the 2012 London Games after pictures appeared in British newspapers of him looking drunk and being carried into a taxi after a night out in the city.
The pictures show Van Hoecke, who came 15th in the men's omnium on Sunday, with his eyes closed being carried by two others, including team mate Jonathan Dufrasne, with his trousers and shirt covered in liquid.
British tabloid the Mirror lightheartedly awarded the gold medal for partying to Van Hoecke when it published the pictures of the latter stages of a night out in London's Mahiki club, but Belgian officials said it was no laughing matter.
"The Belgian Olympic Committee and the Royal Cycling Federation deplore this incident, which fortunately did not affect life in the Olympic Village and athletes trying to rest ahead of their competition," the sporting body said in a statement.
Van Hoecke, 20, had been sent home immediately, the statement said.
Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws said Van Hoecke regretted the incident.
"I made a big mistake. I'm happy my parents didn't tell me off. They understand that I needed this," the newspaper quoted him as saying.
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Ivan Ukhov drunk(?) before his last jump at Athletissima 08
London, Aug 8 : Russian high jumper Ivan Ukhov, who is infamous for his drunken performance at a 2008 competition, has won the gold medal at the London Olympics.
Ukhov made headlines back in 2008 when a video was posted on You Tube showing him competing in Switzerland while drunk.
The Russian received a ‘strong warning’ from the IAAF for his behaviour.
Ukhov jumped 2.38 metres, the second-best in the world this year. America''s Erik Kynard took silver with a jump of 2.33m, with the bronze medal shared three ways between Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, Derek Drouin of Canada and Great Britain''s Robbie Grabarz.
Long-haired Ukhov last month cleared 2.39m to win the Russian championships, the highest jump in 2012, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
His previous major victories have all come indoors, at the 2010 world indoor championships as well as at the 2009 and 2011 European indoors. (ANI)
http://olympic-gold-games-231086
Edited at 2012-08-09 05:50 pm (UTC)
is belgium super conservative?
I'm Mexican, we are not super conservative, but when I was in college, the school made us sign an agreement about behavior outside the campus. It was like, "You are a reflection of us, whatever you do it's ok to do it if you don't get caught. The moment you get arrested for alcohol, drugs, or something else illegal, you're out". Obviously I graduated with few classmates.
That's why he was sent home.
he'd be a distraction to other athletes that have yet to compete