MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Former Olympic champion Grant Hackett has issued an apology following reports the swimmer groped a male passenger who reclined the seat in front of him during a flight home from the Olympic trials.
The passenger complained to staff on the flight from Adelaide, and Hackett was interviewed by Australian Federal Police on Sunday when the plane landed in Melbourne. Police did not immediately charge Hackett, but the story dominated the front pages of newspapers across the country on Monday.
The 35-year-old Hackett didn't qualify for the Australian Olympic team in his comeback to competitive swimming. He won the 1,500-meter freestyle at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
In a statement, Hackett says ''I apologize unreservedly to the gentleman on the flight. I am trying to make direct contact with him personally.''
