The dumped Australian swimmer Nick D'Arcy is resorting to legal action in a bid to compete at the World Championships in Rome in July.
The 21-year-old Queenslander had qualified for the world championship with a qwinning performance at the national trials, but he was dropped after being convicted late last month of assaulting a former Australian swimmer Simon Cowley last year.
That offence also cost him his place on Australia's Olympic team last year.
But D'Arcy's lawyer says public opinion is split on this latest sacking, especially as Swimming Australia had paraded D'Arcy a fortnight ago as a member of the Australian world championship team, when a possible criminal conviction was hanging over his head.
