Michael Diamond will plead to Australian Olympic Committee for Rio reprieve
DUAL gold medallist Michael Diamond will plead to be allowed to shoot in Rio at a special AOC board meeting just weeks after being hit with gun and drink driving charges.
DUAL gold medallist Michael Diamond will plead to be allowed to shoot in Rio at a special board meeting of the Australian Olympic Committee on Thursday.
Diamond does not have a shooter’s licence after recent drink-driving and gun charges, with his next court date well after the July 4 cut-off for selection.
It is understood his legal representatives and Diamond will present to the AOC in Sydney to show why he should still be allowed to shoot.
That last-ditch challenge is his only hope of shooting in Rio given his next court appearance is on July 25, just days before the Rio Olympics.
The AOC believes he cannot shoot for Australia without a gun licence, but has written to the International Shooting Federation for official clarification on that position.
Diamond’s lawyers will argue he is still eligible to shoot in Brazil — even if not in Australia — without a licence and believe he should be selected.
Diamond, 44, is aiming to become only the second Australian in Olympic history to attend seven Olympics after equestrian legend Andrew Hoy.
Shooting Australia will also present their current position on his eligibility, with the AOC stating to Diamond he will be afforded “natural justice”.
That gives him the opportunity to provide his version of events after being arrested drunk and with a gun and ammunition in his car.
He was arrested after an alleged domestic incident involving his brother in May then refused to undergo a roadside breath test.
When police searched his car they found a shotgun and 150 rounds of ammunition, with Diamond eventually recording a reading of 0.159.
Given Anna Flanagan has just been given permission to attend the Rio Olympics despite a drink-drive charge Diamond could not be barred for his drink-driving issues.
But Australian Olympic sources had been adamant there was no way they could allow a shooter to attend Rio without a gun licence.
It is understood there is some support for Diamond shooting at Rio among that board, despite what seems a clear-cut decision.
Diamond is still awaiting a Court of Arbitration decision that was initially expected yesterday, with 17-year-old Melbourne shooter Mitchell Iles appealing against him and Adam Vella.
That decision is likely to drop over coming days, and could see Melbourne Gun Club shooter Iles handed one of two spots for Rio.
Vella finished eighth in the men’s trap in the latest world cup meet in Baku, Azerbaijan yesterday.
Gold medallist Russell Mark, who believes Diamond has deep-seated problems with alcohol, has tipped Iles as one of shooting’s special talents.
Originally published as Michael Diamond will plead to Australian Olympic Committee for Rio reprieve
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