Booth, 21, had taken part in the London 2012 men’s eight rowing event at Eton Dorney yesterday, but the Aussie team failed to win a medal.
According to reports, the Australian rower had been drinking when he was arrested in Egham, Surrey. When he was taken to the police station he promptly fainted, hitting his head. The rower was taken to hospital for a check-up but was allowed to return to the Olympic rowing village.
Nick Green, Australia’s Olympic Commission chef de mission was woken from his slumbers by a call telling him that one of his team’s athletes was under arrest.
“At about 3.30 last night I had a phone call, we had an unfortunate incident,” Green said, adding that he thought alcohol may have been involved.
Coxswain Toby Lister said that the rowers had drunk a few beers in the afternoon after the race and that they had been warned by officials to behave themselves.
“I was with him (Booth) in the afternoon and haven’t seen him since,” Lister said.
Melbourne boy Booth will not face any charges but he has been told to return to the police station today for further questioning.
