ADELAIDE - World champion James Magnussen and four of his 4x100m freestyle relay teammates face sanctions after admitting taking banned prescription drug Stilnox in the lead-up to the London Olympics.
Fronting a media conference in Sydney, Magnussen, Tommaso D'Orsogna, Cameron McEvoy, Eamon Sullivan and Matthew Targett on Friday confessed they each took one tablet of the sleeping drug as part of a bonding ritual at a team camp in Manchester in the days before the London Games.
The sixth team member, James Roberts, said he had never taken Stilnox in his life and did not do so then.
The five could face bans and/or fines as the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) banned athletes using Stilnox and other prescription sedatives about three weeks before the start of the London Games.
The relay team members also admitted some of them made prank calls and knocked on other teammates' hotel room doors during the night but denied entering any rooms.
The six swimmers will face a Swimming Australia integrity panel looking into allegations of misbehaviour in the Games swim team.