SAS Australia: Swimmer James Magnussen on London Olympics drug scandal
Swimmer James Magnussen has revealed on SAS Australia that being caught up in a drug scandal at the London Olympics was the lowest point of his life so far.
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Swimmer James Magnussen has detailed his regret at being caught up in a drug scandal at the London Olympic Games.
Known as “The Missile” in the pool, the now 29-year-old said the incident was the lowest point of his life so far.
“I’ve copped some pretty decent sprays off members of the public — that I’m a drug cheat, that I shouldn’t represent my country, that their taxpayer money pays for me and I let them down,” Magnussen will reveal in an emotional scene to play out on reality TV show SAS Australia on Monday night.
“It was probably the lowest point of my life to date.”
It was after the 2012 London Games, at which Magnussen won silver and bronze medals, that it emerged he and fellow swimmers Eamon Sullivan, Matt Targett, James Roberts, Tommaso D’Orsogna and Cameron McEvoy took the sleeping drug Stilnox in what was described as a pre-Games bonding session in Manchester.
All but Roberts admitted to taking the prescription drug and subsequently apologised. The group were favourites to take out the 100m freestyle relay but finished fourth.
“Myself and a few of the other boys on the swim team had a bonding night before the Olympic Games where we took Stilnox, prescription sleeping tablets, that was banned on the team at the time,” Magnussen explained. “Later on that came out in the media.
“I had to explain to family and friends what I’d done and how I’d let them down.”
Magnussen’s comments came when contestants on SAS Australia were given an honesty task by chief instructor Ant Middleton, charged with revealing their biggest regrets in life.
Candice Warner, Firass Dirani, Merrick Watts and Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins are among those to also share painful memories.
For Warner, the ironwoman wife of Test cricketer David Warner, that shameful moment came from being caught in a toilet cubicle with footballer Sonny Bill Williams back in 2007.
“A long time ago when I was young I got myself in a compromising position which I regret, it had huge impact on my family, huge, it was a personal situation, too many drinks,” she explained.
“Living with that and then having to explain to my kids in the future is going to be very difficult, especially when you’ve got three girls.
“I remember sitting on the side of the street and not being able to take it any more, just thinking ‘if this is what life’s about I can’t take it any more.”
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