Aussie athletes released after being accused of tampering with accreditation

Ten Australian athletes have been released after spending a night in detention at a Rio courthouse for allegedly trying to sneak into a stadium to watch the Boomers basketball semi-final.

The group, including medallists and representatives from rowing, cycling and rugby, faced a marathon ten-hour night of questioning - first by police and then a judge.

Australia Deputy Chef de Mission Fiona De Jong told 7 News, “No one’s been arrested or charged”.

The athletes were seen boarding their bus after being released from detention. Photo: 7 News

Bronze medallist Alec Potts was among those detained, along with cyclist Matthew Glaetzer, rugby sevens captain Ed Jenkins, rowers Lucy Stephan and Fiona Albert, Archer Ryan Tyack and four others whose identities are not yet known.

The Australians are accused of tampering with their accreditations to get into the basketball venue.

Local media say that since the Ryan Lochte debacle, police have cracked down on athlete misbehaviour.

While the incident is a major embarrassment for the Australian team, it is also a logistical nightmare for the Olympians because their accreditations, which have been seized, are their visas for Brazil.

"Earlier this evening (Friday, local time), a number of Australian athletes went to support their mates at the Australia versus Serbia match," de Jong told media outside the police station.

"Ten of the Australian athletes didn't have accreditation to be in that part of the venue.

"The Brazilian authorities and us are working through the issues. Nobody has been arrested."

The AOC had refused to confirm the identity of the athletes detained or their sport.

The athletes were permitted entry to the stadium - which was nowhere near capacity - as Australia went down to Serbia 87-61, but were not sitting in the section allocated to them.

It's not yet known how long the athletes will be detained, though it appears they expect to be there for some time, with AOC officials delivering water to the athletes.