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Discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina has spoken out over the public furore around reports she wanted to quit the New Zealand Olympic team and return from Beijing early.
Faumuina said yesterday she was disappointed a private conversation between her and team chef de mission Dave Currie had incorrectly been reported in the media.
In Auckland with the team, she said she had wanted to return early as she had work to do and wanted a break.
"It wasn't that I didn't want to support my fellow teammates - that I wanted to quit the team. There's absolutely no way would I want to do that," said Faumuina, who was the New Zealand flag-bearer in Athens four years ago.
"If I didn't want to be part of the team, I wouldn't work hard to qualify."
Faumuina, 33, was eliminated in the Beijing event in the qualifying round after finishing 28th.
She apparently was told if she did not travel with the team, she would have to pay for her own flight home.
Currie said he did not make the incident public.
"As it turned out, Beatrice stayed with the team, she's been part of the team and came back on the flight.
"All families have some ups and downs. Three hundred of us, together for a month, there are bound to be some ups and downs."
