KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's Olympics team arrive back from Beijing this morning to revel in their success - but a dark cloud hangs over three Olympians.
Swimmers Dean Kent, Corney Swanepoel and Cameron Gibson were expelled from the team following an incident which embarrassed a teammate.
The three experienced Olympians took a photograph of the drunk teammate sitting on the toilet in a prank at a social function late last week before circulating it to other teammates.
Their actions were deemed inappropriate by chef de mission Dave Currie, who suspended the trio from the team and expelled them from the Olympic Village.
They spent their final night in Beijing at a neighbouring hotel and weren't invited to a final team function.
They were to join the team on their flight out of China yesterday. An NZOC spokesman said the identity of the photographed team member would not be made public.
The victim was described in a NZOC statement as "one of our younger team members" and he had apologised for his behaviour at the function.
"All three swimmers are very remorseful and have apologised to team management for what was poor judgment on their part and accept the punishment handed down," the statement said.
New Zealand swimming head coach Jan Cameron was disappointed members of her team had stepped out of line but didn't want to be overly critical until the incident was reviewed.
New Zealand was rocked in the closing stages of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games by an alcohol-fuelled incident involving cyclists Tim Gudsell, Marc Ryan and Liz Williams.
- NZPA
