豪の金メダリスト帰国歓迎が「車検切り罰金」だった！

FINED! Olympic gold medalist David Smith was fined $700 while on his way home from the London Games after four months away training.
　2012年ロンドン五輪K41000mカヌーで金メダルを取ったデビッド・スミス氏が16日シドニーに4ヶ月ぶりに帰国し、約80キロ離れて自宅があるウロンゴンへ車で戻る途中警察に止めさせられ、一週間前に車検が切られたことを知らさせて700ドル（約7万円）を即罰金された、と地方紙イラワラ・マーキュリーが17日付で報道した。
　オリンピックで予想されたメダル数が半分にも届けなかったオーストラリア（大会前に金15個の目標に対して僅か7個しか取れなかった）にとってロンドン大会が期待外れの五輪が、有数金メダルを獲得した選手が国民的な英雄扱いより警察の厳しい目にあった。
　これに対して、オーストラリアのSNSが炎上しているらしい。
　一方、スミス選手が受け入れている。
　「ちょっとがっかりしたが、しょうがないよ。法は法だ」とコメントした。「警官に事情を説明しても聞く耳もなかった」。
　スミス氏は、警官に歓迎されなかったかもしれないが、帰国の際、豪首相ジュリア・ギラードなどが選手団を出迎え感謝の言葉を示した。また、イラワラ地域生まれのスミス氏は1972年以降のイラワラ出身メダリストであるため、故郷で暖かく受け入れることを期待できるだろう。
Warilla gold medallist cops car fine

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