Two-time Olympic gold medallist Kieren Perkins has admitted to buying an air pistol and firing shots at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, almost leading to him getting kicked off the Australian team.

As scrutiny intensified on the Australian swim team after Nick D'Arcy's alleged assault on former swimmer Simon Cowley, Perkins admitted to his own escapades.

"It was a dumb thing to do," Perkins told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Perkins and other athletes fired the pistol in the athletes' accommodation.

The newspaper reported that Perkins, who later went on to break to world records at the meet, was to be sent home but Australian Commonwealth Games Association chef de mission Arthur Tunstall intervened to ensure he stayed.

"If it (the pistol prank) happened today I wouldn't have got off as lightly as I did, especially given the security situation today," Perkins said.

But Perkins said the alleged D'Arcy incident was "poles apart" from what he did and an "extraordinarily severe incident".

Perkins said there was an alcohol culture in the sport, with a tendency for swimmers to binge drink and "get hammered".

Meanwhile Swimming Australia has confirmed swimmers were asked to remove pictures from their Facebook profiles that were available for public viewing.

A series of embarrassing photos of D'Arcy had appeared on a number of internet sites while pictures of other swimmers at a party had also featured in News Limited newspapers.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP