Australian Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice has apologised for a homophobic comment she posted online after the Wallabies beat the Springboks.
The pin-up girl took to her Twitter page on Saturday night, to say: "Suck on that faggots."
She later wrote; "Okay so maybe I got a bit too excited before!! But I love seeing Australians do well".
The offensive comment has been removed and she has issued a statement saying she had made it in the excitement of the moment.
"I did not mean to cause offence and I apologise. I have deleted it from the site."
Gay ex-league player Ian Roberts has slammed the swimmer.
"She is an idiot ... and anyone who continues to endorse her as an athlete is an idiot as well," he told the Herald Sun.
"And I say that with a very sad tone in my voice. What a fool.
"And if her sponsors don't do something about it, they're fools as well."
Roberts says the comment is inexcusable.
The Herald Sun says the controversy comes as a particular PR blow to Rice's major sponsor Davenport, which is a favourite among the gay community.
It has released a statement saying: "Davenport Underwear does not in any way condone the comment made by Stephanie Rice on her Twitter on Saturday 4th, September."
