Fourth-Place Medal

Belgian cyclist kicked out of Olympics after drunken night

By | Fourth-Place Medal – Thu 9 Aug, 2012

(SportsGrid)

Belgian cyclist Gijs van Hoecke was sent home from the Olympics by the nation's Olympic committee after he was photographed looking drunk and disoriented while leaving a London nightclub.

The pictures were published in Belgian newspapers, then became an international sensation, getting featured on sites like TMZ. In them, van Hoecke is being carried out of the club by teammates. His eyes are barely open and his clothing appears wet.

[Related: British cyclists celebrates gold medal by getting 'blind drunk']


The 20-year-old van Hoecke finished 15th in the omnium (cycling's equivalent of the decathlon) and rode in Belgium's ninth-place finish in the team pursuit. He said he was "letting off some steam" at the club, presumably by drinking everything that wasn't bolted down.

"I made a big mistake," he told a Belgian newspaper. "I'm happy my parents didn't tell me off. They understand that I needed this."

As always, let's go to the arbiter of all things Olympics, Ms. McKayla Maroney:

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