Grant Hackett breaks silence after mid-flight incident

OLYMPIC champion Grant Hackett has fronted the media for the first time since being accused of tweaking a nipple while drunk.

Grant Hackett has fronted the media for the first time since “Nipplegate”, pictured here on the Gold Coast today. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

OLYMPIC champion Grant Hackett has fronted the media for the first time since being accused of tweaking a man’s nipple while drunk on a flight.

Speaking to journalists on the Gold Coast, Hackett said the incident — which saw the swimming star escorted from the plane via wheelchair because he was unable to walk — was alcohol-fuelled and did not involve a mix with prescription drugs.

Hackett vowed today to “get off the drink” for the sake of himself and his children, admitting his behaviour was “disgraceful and disgusting and excruciating to watch”.

“I got on the flight, a gentleman put his seat back, I said, ‘Would you mind putting it up?’

“I offended him, I had no intent to offend him inappropriately and from there the rest is history,” Hackett said today.

“I don’t want to get into a he said, she said situation.

“Independent witnesses articulated what happened very well and I stand by the statements they made and they got to see what played out.

Asked whether he tweaked the nipple of his fellow passenger, Hackett said: “From my perspective, no. I cannot explain or vouch for the person who was sitting ahead of me. Everyone around me stated the same thing that I just said.

“Did I mean to touch him inappropriately? If I did, I am very sorry, I didn’t mean to, I didn’t mean to offend him.

“It was not my intent at the end of the day and for me I have spoken to the gentleman and his partner who were sitting in front of me, apologised to them profusely if in any way I did offend them and had a good chat with them.

“I’ve chatted with them several times and sorted it out and on a personal level everything is fine.”

Grant Hackett was helped off the plane in a wheelchair.

Hackett said he would be taking some time out to “re-evaluate” his life.

“Being in that state and binge drinking is an issue that I need to address and something I will address,” he said.

“I had not drunk in many months and you get yourself into a situation where you come to the end of a long tether, certainly for me the pressure and the stress of the Olympic trials and all the things that followed beyond that, the expectations, the attention — it’s a lot to deal with.

“I don’t say this as an excuse but I am trying to contextualise the situation but at the end of the day, getting myself into that situation is not acceptable and something I need to remedy.”

Asked whether prescription drugs were involved, Hackett said: “Not at all. I get prescription medication from the history I have had but certainly no. It was purely alcohol.

“Fortunately the police did a search of my bag after the flight and all that was in there was the bottle of alcohol I was consuming and the antibiotics I was taking for the infection I had.”

Hackett said he still hoped to be involved with the Australian swim team, but in what capacity he wasn’t sure.

He explained the incident was a result of alcohol. Photo Sarah Reed.

“To be totally honest, I will still be involved with the Australian swim team,” he said.

“Whatever level that is on, I’m not sure.”

He said in the meantime, he would be getting help.

“I will be seeking help around this. I want a happy and prosperous life and I have two little children that I love and I want to make sure everything that I do is positive for them.

“They are young enough not to see all this stuff at this stage but when they grow up, there is a thing called the internet, they will see things and I will have those conversations one day and I want to make sure that I don’t put myself in compromising situations.”

Earlier this month, Hackett was alleged to have “forcefully” groped a passenger and “tweaked” his nipple on an interstate flight after a dispute over a seat being reclined too far.

He later released a statement apologising for his behaviour on the domestic flight.

Hackett also phoned the alleged victim and pledged to donate a sum of money to a charity of the man’s choice.