D'Arcy loses fight for his Games spot after brawl

Dumped: Nick D'Arcy looks set to miss out on the Beijing Olympics after being dropped from the Australian team following a nightclub brawl

Controversial swimmer Nick D'Arcy is set to miss the Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport today backed a decision to dump him from the Australia team following a fight.

The 20-year-old Queenslander was axed last month after being charged with grievous bodily harm following a brawl in a Sydney nightclub that left former Commonwealth champion Simon Cowley with serious facial injuries.

The incident happened as D'Arcy and colleagues celebrated their call-up to the Olympics.

Australian Olympic Committee chief John Coates said the charges brought the sport, the team and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) into disrepute and kicked D'Arcy off the team.

Although the CAS said today he deserved his punishment they added only the AOC as a group had the power to do that, rather than Coates. As a result, they have asked them to go through the disciplinary process again.

The AOC said they could reopen the case as early as next week but are expected to stick by Coates's original verdict.

The swimmer has not given up hope of a reprieve and said: "I'm a little bit disappointed with the decision because it's not as clear-cut as I would've liked it to have been. I'd say I'm a slim chance to go now but obviously my chances have been severely compromised."

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