Australian swimmer Nick D'Arcy has been dropped from the squad for the 2009 world championships in Rome after being convicted of assault, officials said.
D'Arcy, 21 earned selection by winning his 200m butterfly trials in national record time last month but a week later was given a suspended jail sentence for assaulting former swimmer Simon Cowley in March 2008.
That incident occurred in a bar during celebrations after D'Arcy was selected for the Beijing Olympics and cost him his place at the Games.
D'Arcy continued swimming in the hope of returning to the national team this year and redeeming himself at the world championships.
But Swimming Australia said it decided to revoke D'Arcy's position on the team because of his conviction.
"On 22 March 2009, Nicholas D'Arcy was selected as a member of the Australian swim team for the 2009 FINA world championships," the sports governing body said in a statement.
However, the board unanimously resolved at a meeting on Monday that his membership of the team for Rome "be terminated immediately."
D'Arcy had pleaded guilty to recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm on Cowley, a retired Commonwealth Games gold medallist, in the barroom confrontation last March.
Cowley suffered a fractured jaw, eye socket, palate, cheek and nose, and had five metal plates fitted to his head after the single blow.
D'Arcy apologised to Cowley in court for his actions, and blamed a drinking problem, which he said he had since brought under control.
Source: AFP Global Edition
