GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) Two-time Olympic 1,500-meter freestyle champion Grant Hackett has publicly apologized for a drunken incident on a flight home from the Australian Olympic trials earlier this month, when he was accused of groping a male passenger who reclined the seat in front of him.
The 35-year-old Hackett admitted at a media conference on Friday that he'd been drinking before the flight - in the wake of his failed bid to make an Olympic comeback - and will seek help to quit drinking following his ''unacceptable'' and ''embarrassing'' actions.
He said his career was tarnished by ''pure stupidity, making poor decisions at crucial times in my life'' and he felt ''a huge amount of regret.''
Hackett said he struggled being back in the public spotlight after six years away from competitive swimming.
