Swimming Australia boss John Bertrand shocked by Grant Hackett

GRANT Hackett is facing costly consequences for his mid-air spat with a male passenger that has again tarnished his image.

GRANT Hackett is reportedly facing the sack from two positions as a result of his mid-flight altercation with a male passenger.

Hackett allegedly grabbed a passenger’s nipple “forcefully” while returning to Melbourne from the Australian Olympic swimming trials in Adelaide.

The plane incident — where he was said to be heavily intoxicated — led to Hackett being questioned and spending a number of hours with the Australian Federal Police.

The 35-year-old swimming champion is set to be cut loose by Swimming Australia and Channel 7 for roles at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, beginning August 5, according to reports.

The Australian reported Swimming Australia is set to distance itself from Hackett after previously considering the three-time Olympic gold medallist for a mentoring role at this year’s Games.

The Daily Telegraph also reported Channel 7 is also second-guessing a preliminary decision to include Hackett in its commentary team in Rio.

Citing a source, the Herald Sun reported Hackett was holding parties at his Gold Coast apartment in the lead up to last week’s Olympic swimming trials in Adelaide, leading many to question whether his comeback was nothing more than a publicity stunt.

“Grant is off the rails,” the source said.

“His erratic behaviour was the cause of the break up with Debbie Savage. He bought her a Mercedes and then it was over.

“His comeback was all about money. He wanted that contract with Speedo and Channel 7. He just did what it took. It was never going to happen — he was out of control before he even got there.”

Hackett denied he was still battling an addiction to Stilnox.

“That is certainly not the case,’’ Hackett told the Herald Sun in a text message.

“I don’t have any dependencies at all.”

Grant Hackett has apologised.

Swimming Australia boss John Bertrand said he was shocked by Hackett’s behaviour during the mid-air incident but insists Hackett is still being discussed as a potential official mentor of the Australian swim team.

“It’s a shock to everyone, including myself, obviously what happened,” he told Channel 7.

“It was a bummer, terrible.”

Hackett’s attempted return to the Australian Olympic team came to an abrupt end when he was knocked out in the semi-finals of the 200-metre freestyle.

His influence around the team led to head coach Jacco Verhaeren declaring he would be a mentor for the squad in Rio, and Bertrand said the former star’s behaviour in Adelaide justified the original selection.

“What we saw and what I saw his involvement with the team was just fantastic,” Bertrand said.

“His influence, he could walk on the pool deck, not only in Australia, but anywhere around the world and he has been there and done it.”

The Swimming Australia president also knocked back suggestions Hackett’s return was a PR stunt aimed at satisfying sponsors, and that he had been missing training sessions and partying in the lead-up to the trials.

“He gave it a shot to be part of the swim team,” Bertrand said. “That was it. For the pure reasons.

“He was enjoying and loving the getting back with some mates and some friends from swimming.”

However, Australian swimming personality Laurie Lawrence was not as forgiving of Hackett’s behaviour.

He said Hackett failed in his role as an ambassador for Swimming Australia.

“Obviously he’s unwell,” Lawrence told The Australian.

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

“However, in my opinion there are no excuses — being Olympic champion, he’s one of the foremost custodians of Australian swimming.”

It comes after Hackett issued a public apology for the incident.

In the statement released on Monday, Hackett said he had a number of issues he was dealing with.

“I seriously and genuinely regret my poor behaviour. I have stuffed up more than once and am working on these issues,” Hackett said.

“It is embarrassing to hear & read the consequences of my actions. I apologise unreservedly to the gentleman on the flight.

“I am trying to make direct contact with him personally.

“I know I have to front the media and discuss my actions in a more appropriate and accountable way.

“I just have to sort a few things first so I can be as frank and open as I need to be. I apologise for the inconvenience.”

Meanwhile, behaviour therapist Peter Melrose has tried to explain Hackett’s meltdown, saying the swimmer has a simple case of identity crisis.

"When we teach sporting people that their identity is tied to winning... They don't know what else to do." #9Today https://t.co/qxxjYoyq7K

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) April 18, 2016

“When we teach sporting people from a very young age that your identity is tied to your winning, being a champion — and then there’s a lot of accolades and attention — when the career starts to wain as it inevitably will, they don’t know what else to do,” Melrose told The Today Show.

“So much of their identity is tied up into this one element of their life.

“Grant can do a whole bunch of things, as can most people, but if it’s about winning all the time, that actually quite limits them.”

— with AAP

Originally published as Swimming Australia boss John Bertrand shocked by Grant Hackett