Grant Hackett has opened up to GQ Australia about his domestic violence allegations and the demise of his marriage to singer Candice Alley.
Champion swimmer Hackett, who made headlines away from the pool due to domestic violence claims and a stillnox addiction, says the “allegations of domestic violence” have been by far his biggest challenge.
In 2011 Hackett trashed the Melbourne apartment he shared with Alley after a day at the races. Photos of the destruction were later published in newspapers around the country in 2012.
“The facts are, I’ve never broken the law. Look, those photos tell their own story but the way they were contextualised was wrong,” Hackett told GQ Australia.
“I did the wrong thing, no doubt about it, but never to the level alleged. That’s hard to cop and I’m sick of it. I’ve paid a price for what I did, but now years later I’m still paying it.”
Hackett reveals he trashed the apartment because he was frustrated by his inability to end his five-year marriage, with the hope that it would end his partnership with Alley.
“I wanted that decision to be made for me because I couldn’t make it myself,” Hackett said. “There was no way I was going to walk out on my kids. If someone walked out on me it would be much easier.”
“Candice and I had both agreed the relationship wasn’t working and was becoming a dramatic failure, but the importance of family overrode that. I’m a family man first and foremost and when the separation came, the loneliness was challenging.”
Hackett is now dating Debbie Savage, a trainer at the AIS and told the magazine he would love to have another child and marry again.
The swimmer – who has six-year-old twins with Alley – spoke to the magazine as he prepares to return to the pool for the world titles with the Australian swim team in July.
The 35-year-old will be the oldest athlete to swim in the national team.
GQ Australia is on sale Monday.
