An Australian athlete was sent home for disciplinary reasons amidst allegations that some of their sportspersons indulged in hooliganism and damaged property at the Commonwealth Games Village after their cricket team's washout in the cricket Test series against India.
Authorities sought to downplay the incident, saying it was a "minor issue" and no complaint has been lodged with Delhi police though they confirmed that a washing machine was thrown from the eighth floor of a residential block housing Australians.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite as saying that an Aussie athlete was sent home from Delhi for disciplinary reasons though he did not specify any reason for sending the athlete back.
The Herald Sun, an Australian newspaper, reported, "Crosswhite confirmed that a washing machine was thrown off the eighth floor of an Australian residential tower in the athletes' village."
However, Crosswhite said he would be surprised if it was an Australian and blamed athletes from other countries who were in the Australian building at the time of the incident.
External affairs minister SM Krishna sought to downplay the incident, saying it was a minor issue. "It is a minor issue. It should be sorted out. With Australia, we have a very good relationship. We will solve it to the satisfaction of both the parties," he told reporters here.
Delhi police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said they have not received any complaint from the Organising Committee regarding this and no case has been registered.
A senior official at the Games Village, however, downplayed the incident that reportedly happened following Australia's loss to India in the cricket series, and said it was for the management of the team to take action against their own athletes responsible.
Lt Gen Ashok Kapur, the CWG Village in-charge, said it was no major incident of anybody going berserk, and suggested the athletes were only having a "fun time".
Referring to the incident of the washing machine being thrown from the eighth floor, he said it happened at around 4am and that the team management had already apologised for it.
