Kitty Chiller’s demand for higher standards meant Michael Diamond was always facing trouble

AUSTRALIA’S chef de mission Kitty Chiller had no choice. Her hard-line approach meant the decision on Michael Diamond was also a referendum on her consistency, writes Jon Ralph.

Michael Diamond won’t be appealing his exclusion from the Rio Olympics. Picture: AFP

KITTY Chiller and the Australian Olympic Committee board knew they were on a hiding to nothing on Thursday.

How could she crisscross the nation on her Aspire roadshow exhorting a higher standard for athletes then allow Michael Diamond on that team?

The same team that she has spent the past year trying to rid of a “toxic” culture of stillnox abuse, bullying of female swimmers and Olympic village chaos.

The same team that would likely have almost certainly been off limits to tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios if he hadn’t blinked first.

How could she effectively ban the King of Code Violations for a handful of tantrums when Diamond was arrested for drink-driving with a shotgun and 150 rounds loose in his back seat?

Since being appointed as Australia’s chef de mission her singular purpose was to unite and inspire her team with an Olympic ethos.

Not win at any costs, after a London 2012 experience rife with behaviour issues and official inquiries in the damaging aftermath.

Olympian Michael Diamond leaves the AOC Sydney offices on Thursday. Picture Craig Greenhill

But in her own words, “unity of purpose — one team; no one is bigger than the Olympic Games and no one is bigger than the team, we’re all just a small cog and have to fit in”.

With that standard set by her constant criticism of Kyrgios, all of those mission statements would have rung hollow in Rio.

Officially, it was Shooting Australia on Thursday that told the AOC board Diamond was ineligible, a decision they deigned to overturn.

But in the perception business that is Australian sport, Chiller’s hard-line approach meant this decision was also a referendum on her consistency.

The shock in Thursday’s development is that Diamond will not appeal as expected, telling the Herald Sun he was prepared to accept the AOC decision.

It means his bid for seven straight Olympic Games is officially done.

That means Diamond’s desolation will morph into a chance of a lifetime for a kid gold medallist Russell Mark says is the new Michael Diamond.

Year 11 student Mitch Iles is officially the first reserve and ranked no. 1 in the sport — hence his CAS appeal against Diamond.

Mitchell Iles is poised for Rio. Picture: Adam Elwood

He has been training quietly at Yering’s Melbourne Gun Club — site of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games — and enduring an agonising wait.

Mark told the Herald Sun yesterday he hoped Diamond could turn his life around

“I sincerely hope Michael can sort his life out. He has to go away from the sport and sort it out,’’ he said.

“I hope he can come back. He is the greatest shot we have ever had.

“Clearly there are other problems in Mick’s life, but he hasn’t been in a good place in recent times. That night in May might have proved it.

“Now I hope Shooting Australia can nominate Mitch Iles. He has had an enormous amount of pressure on him.

“He missed the last World Cup meet and his preparation is far from perfect but the kid has the X factor and if anyone can pull it off it could be him.”

Originally published as Kitty Chiller’s demand for higher standards meant Michael Diamond was always facing trouble