Grant Hackett would be a great mentor at Rio Olympics, says Kyle Chalmers, but AOC quiet on chance

KYLE Chalmers says he would love Grant Hackett to be at the Rio Olympics as a mentor but the AOC are staying tight-lipped on the fast-fading prospect.

IAIN PAYTEN

2 min read

April 19, 2016 - 2:29PM

(FILES) This file photo taken on April 3, 2015 shows dual Olympic champion Grant Hackett smiling after finishing third in the 400-metres freestyle final in his comeback swim after seven years out of the pool at Australia's world championship trials in Sydney. Hackett may have been drinking prior to an alleged mid-air "nipple" squeeze on a fellow passenger, a witness said on April 18, 2016. The 35-year-old dual Olympic champion, who recently failed in his bid to make the Australian team for Rio, was reportedly questioned by police after the flight landed in Melbourne. / AFP PHOTO / PETER PARKS / IMAGE STRICTLY FOR EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

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RISING swim star Kyle Chalmers says he would love for Grant Hackett to be at the Rio Olympics as a mentor but the Australian Olympic Committee are staying tight-lipped on the fast-fading prospect.

The AOC launched their Olympic uniforms on Tuesday but the behaviour of a veteran swimmer Hackett, who failed to make the Australian swimming team last week at the Adelaide trials, was still a hot topic of conversation.

Hackett was being lined up to still attend the Olympics a team mentor but that role is on very shaky ground after he allegedly tweaked a fellow passenger’s nipple on a flight to Melbourne on Sunday while heavily intoxicated.

Though denying prescription drugs played a role, Hackett apologised for his behaviour and Swimming Australia have launched an investigation into the incident.

Swimming Australia are reportedly looking to distance themselves from Hackett and the mentoring role will be canned.

But asked on Tuesday if he would like Hackett to be with the team in Rio, 17-year-old Chalmers said he would still appreciate the presence of the seven-time Olympic medallist.

“For sure, he is a great guy around the team,” Chalmers said.

“I would love for him to be able to come away with the team and be a mentor for us. So much knowledge.

Grant Hackett being helped off a plane in Melbourne after allegedly assaulting a man.

“Grant Hackett is someone I really look up to, he was on the (world championship) team with us in Kazan last year and still a massive role model for me. I will stay in touch with him hopefully over the next few months. We will see what happens.”

Kitty Chiller, Australia’s chef de mission for the Rio Games, was less effusive, however, saying the AOC would only consider its position if Swimming Australia nominated Hackett for an official role.

“We have to wait to see what Swimming Australia nominate to us ... we would then determine if it was an appropriate use of accreditation or not,” Chiller said.

“We don’t even know all the facts of this case yet, so we would need to wait and see what Swimming Australia decided and then we would consider it.

“We were surprised and shocked, as was Swimming Australia. He’d had a huge week, almost qualifying for the team and then obviously slipping into the commentary role. It was above all else a surprise and sad to see his week finish that way. He is not in the Australian Olympic team, so as far we are concerned he is different to the team, he is apart from the team. It’s not for us to become involved with that.”

Hackett is a seven time Olympic medallist, but missed the cut for Rio.

Chiller, a former Olympic pentathlete, said Hackett’s struggles away from the pooldeck were a reminder of the need for support to athletes who may find difficult the transition to “real life”.

“It is not just swimming. It is every sport. It is really tough when you have devoted your whole life, decades in many instances, or having your head in a bucket of chlorine for seven hours a day or running around a track for four hours a day. Suddenly your whole life changes. It is difficult to come to terms with that,” he said.

“I know Swimming Australia have done a fantastic job in re-building the culture of the team.

“They are moving ahead and they have promised to support Grant and to support any other swimmer who is transitioning from life as a swimmer into the real world, if you like.”