Just a week before the start of the Commonwealth Games BirminghamTeenage sensation Isaac Cooper has been sent home for a disciplinary infraction involving his “use of medication”, according to Swimming Australia.
The 18-year-old had a standout national championship earlier this year, including gold in the 50m and 100m backstroke.
Cooper was scheduled to make his gaming debut in four events – the two aforementioned backstroke races, 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle.
Isaac Cooper after placing third in the semifinals of the 50m backstroke at the 2022 World Championships in Bupadest, Hungary
Isaac Cooper after setting a national record in the 50m backstroke earlier this year at the 2022 Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide
Swimming Australia (SA) announced that Cooper had been sent home from Dolphins training camp in France on Wednesday.
“Cooper was sent home from Dolphins training camp following a number of health challenges, including taking medication,” Swimming Australia said in a statement.
“He has acknowledged his mistakes and accepted the consequences and Swimming Australia will continue to support him in meeting those challenges.”
Isaac Cooper will compete in a medley relay at the 2022 World Championships
Cooper, who competed in the 100m backstroke and 4 x 100m relay mixed medley at last year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was scheduled to fight for medals in Birmingham.
The teenager broke the national record for the 50m backstroke at the National Championships in Adelaide in May with a sizzling 24.44.
He also finished first in the 100m backstroke, with third place in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle.
He won a bronze medal in Tokyo for his role in the mixed medley relay and finished promisingly eighth in the 50m backstroke at the World Championships in Bupadest last month.
Isaac Cooper with other Swimming Australia team members including Emma McKeon
Swimming Australia has reportedly denied that the infamous Stilnox incident at the London 2012 Olympics was repeated.
The ‘Stilnox Six’: Eamon Sullivan, James Magnussen, Matt Targett, James Roberts, Tommaso D’Orsogna and Cameron McEvoy attended a bonding session with the prescription sleeping pill and were disciplined by Swimming Australia.
During the bonding session, they also played pranks on other swimmers, which they described as “childish” and “stupid” at the time.
James Magnussen admitted taking Stilnox at the London 2012 Olympics as part of a team bonding session with five other swim team members
It had been an ill-fated Olympics for the swim team, with a report commissioned after the disaster saying a “toxic” team culture had developed.
“Swimmers referred to these games as ‘Lonely Olympics’ and ‘Individual Olympics,'” the 2013 report said.
There have been enough culturally toxic incidents involving enough team members violating agreements (e.g., drunkenness, prescription drug abuse, curfew violations, cheating, bullying) to warrant a strong, collective response from leadership, coaches, staff and swimmers participated.
“No such collective action has been taken,” read the scathing review.
Eamon Sullivan was one of the swimming sextets dubbed the “Stilnox Six” at the 2021 games
Swimming and its reputation have experienced something of a renaissance in recent years.
Australia’s Dolphins swimming team won nine gold, three silver and eight bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympics last year
At the time, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kieran Perkins, who is now President of Swimming Australia, said he was proud of how far the team had come.
“There is no doubt that this is a beautiful point that shows that swimming is in a great place, broadly speaking, at the moment,” he said WWOS.
“One of the things that has stuck with the current group is how much they respect each other and how much they trust each other.”
Australian swimming legend Kieren Perkins believes the team’s culture has come a long way
The organization made it clear that the bar was set high when it came to representing Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“The well-being of our athletes remains our absolute priority,” said Swimming Australia.
“Swimming Australia is committed to educating athletes about their obligations under the National Integrity Framework and will continue to provide all necessary support to ensure they adhere to the highest standards and behavior when representing Australia.”
The Commonwealth Games will start on July 28th and the swimming competitions will run until August 8th.
