By PA Sport Staff

British Olympic Association Chef de Mission Simon Clegg has denied being heavy-handed in taking away swimmer Mark Foster's Olympic Games accreditation for breaking a sponsorship agreement.

Foster had his Games accreditation removed by the BOA on Monday for wearing a Speedo-branded bodysuit instead of the BOA-approved bodysuit during last Friday's men's 50m freestyle final.

Foster, who was due to fly back to Britain on Wednesday, had to move out of the athletes' village on Monday and sleep on a friend's couch in Sydney before returning to the UK.

And the disgruntled 30-year-old former world record holder said: "I expected to be carpeted, but the BOA put me out on the street like a dog. It was humiliating and I can't help but feel this is a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

But Clegg hit back saying: "I'm disappointed that Mark is sounding off about this.

"When we spoke to Mark about this with his team manager (Craig Hunter) he admitted he was entirely in the wrong.

"He was conscious of the decision he was making and he could offer no defence for the action that he took.

"We talked through the issue and what we did wasn't heavy-handed.

"He put me in an impossible situation because he signed a contract and he broke it knowingly."

The BOA reminded Foster that he had broken the Team GB guidelines for bodysuits which were agreed with the athletes, the Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain and Speedo prior to the Games.

But the Bath swimmer said: "The punishment is all out of proportion to what actually happened.

"I'm not a drug cheat, I have not been drunk or out of order in the village.

"All I have done is wear a different swimsuit in a final because the one I was given did not fit properly.

"I hold my hands up that wearing a different kit to the official British team sponsors was wrong but to be publicly humiliated in such a way for something so petty is beyond belief."

Clegg disagrees and he pointed out that while Foster's British swimming team-mates would no doubt have liked to have been able to gain financially by wearing branded swimsuits they had stuck to the pre-Games agreement.

"I'd like to think that the BOA is an athlete-friendly organisation," said Clegg.

"The money that we provide for the athletes is all from sponsorship and fund-raising and we have to have sponsorship agreements in place.

"He (Foster) should think of all the other swimmers who would like to have worn a Speedo-branded swimsuit for their own financial gain.

"The BOA went the extra mile to ensure that the British swimmers had the swimsuit of their choice. We had an arrangement with Speedo to provide it without a logo on but one seems to have got through to Mark with a logo on."

The BOA issued a statement on Monday night which referred to Foster "bypassing the arrangements put in place with the BOA for the supply of swimming bodysuits."

Clegg was also quoted saying: "We simply cannot have one athlete's interests being put above those of the entire team."

The BOA delayed imposing their punishment on Foster because close friend Colin Jackson was preparing for the 110m hurdles final on Monday night.

Foster said: "I was staggered when told the reason why the BOA delayed punishing me for three days was that they didn't want to upset Colin Jackson's preparation for Monday night.

"I was told that as Colin is a big pal of mine, they waited until his race was over as they didn't want him upset by booting me out of the village.

"That is cynical - there is no other word for it. But the whole thing smacks of a bad over-reaction."

Jackson said Foster's punishment appeared "a bit harsher than what was required" but admitted the BOA "had to do what they had to do and Mark realises that".

Jackson added: "He (Foster) knew the consequences I guess but he can be a bit of a bad boy at times."