Magnussen’s coach says Oz elite swimmers not ‘pampered brats’

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Sydney, Feb 21: The coach of star Australian swimmer James Magnussen has defended the Oz swimmers, saying that they are not pampered brats and most of them were simply guilty of trying too hard at the London Games.

This has come in the wake of two reports which has damned the Australian swim team’s ‘toxic culture’ and has accused them of bullying, abusing prescription drugs, drunkenness, along with mismanagement and favouritism, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Rejecting ideas that the Oz swimmers were more interested in partying and showing off than focusing on their sports, Magnussen’s coach Brent Best said that the swimmers are hard workers and many of them work to support their swimming.

Best also defended Magnussen’s much-criticised performance before and during the Games and said that the swimming star was reacting to his disappointment at letting his country down so he got a little carried away.

Admitting that one of the main reasons behind the dismal show at the Games was that it was more about individual performances, Best said that the coaches have discussed on methods to lead the sport out of the mess it is in. (ANI)