Australian swimmer to miss Commonwealth Games over ‘medicine use’

The 18-year-old Cooper was set to compete in the backstroke, butterfly and freestyle events at Birmingham

Cooper won a bronze at last year’s Tokyo Olympics as part of Australia’s 4x100 metres mixed medley team. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Australian swimmer Isaac Cooper has been sent home from a training camp and will miss the Commonwealth Games for disciplinary reasons, including the “use of medication,” governing body Swimming Australia said on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old Cooper, who won a mixed medley silver at the recent world championships in Budapest, was set to compete in the backstroke, butterfly and freestyle events at Birmingham which starts next week.

“Cooper has been sent home from the Dolphins training camp following some wellbeing challenges, including the use of medication,” SA said.

“He has acknowledged his mistakes and accepted the consequences, and Swimming Australia will continue to support him as he addresses these challenges.”

Cooper won a bronze at last year’s Tokyo Olympics as part of Australia’s 4x100 metres mixed medley team.

Australia has a record of disciplining swimmers over the misuse of medication.

Former world champion James Magnussen and five other swimmers on Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay team were fined in 2013 after a probe into team culture found they took a banned sleeping medication as part of an unofficial “bonding session” in the leadup to the London Olympics.