The AOC has reported the incident to the IOC, a spokesman said. The IOC has been contacted for comment. Dancing a jig ... Damien Hooper celebrates his victory. Credit:Reuters "We will counsel Damien against doing it again," the AOC spokesman said. "He intends to apologise to [Australian team chef de mission] Nick Green over the incident. He is aware that he could be in breach of the IOC charter and that there is potential for them to take action against him." Rule 50 in the Olympic charter prohibits any kind of "demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda" in any official sites or venues. It is not clear whether Hooper's t-shirt constituted a "demonstration".

In any case, the 20-year-old light-heavyweight, who found himself a point behind after two rounds and on the brink of a first-round exit before fighting back with a desperate last-round assault, was unapologetic. Australian boxer Damien Hooper, red, lands a right hand on the USA's Marcus Browne during his first round Olympics light heavyweight boxing victory. Credit:Jason South "I'm not saying that I don't care," Hooper said. "I'm just saying that I'm very proud of what I did." Hooper, whose mother is an indigenous Australian, said he was proud of his heritage and credited it with the 13-11 points win over Browne. Damien Hooper is one of Australia's best medal chances in men's boxing. Credit:Brendan Esposito

"I'm Aboriginal, I'm representing my culture not only my country, but all my people as well," he said. "I'm very proud and that's what I wanted to do. I'm happy I did it. I wasn't really thinking about that. I was just thinking about family and all that. That's what really matters to me. Look what it just did, it just made my whole performance a lot better with that whole support behind me." Hooper has four days off now before he fights the Russian Egor Mekhontcev for a place in the light-heavyweight quarter-finals. I'm very proud and that's what I wanted to do. I'm happy I did it. I wasn't really thinking about that. I was just thinking about family and all that. That's what really matters to me. He is fast emerging as a controversy magnet as well as a world-class amateur boxer. He walked out of the Australian team's pre-Olympics camp in Canberra after a disagreement with coach Don Abnett but on Monday he said it was his corner-man that steered him from behind after a slow start against the 21-year-old Browne. His American opponent led by a point heading into the third round before Hooper stepped up the aggression, dominating for the final three minutes and at one point leaving his opponent on a standing count. The judges ruled in his favour by three points, but the performance was so emphatic the Greek judge had him an 18-8 winner for the round.

"Me and coach have a good bond. I trust him 100 per cent with what he says. I tried my own plan and his plan in the beginning and then I listened to everything he was saying in the ring," Hooper said. "What I just did shows....what a good coach I have. "I thought I would have been a lot more sharper. I felt awesome but then again he was a good opponent as well and he wasn't going to let me just walk all over him which I did in the last round. "I was jinking and fading and throwing all these punches and I was catching him. I could see it in his eyes and his body language that he didn't want to be there." Australia has won only one medal in boxing since 1960 and never has there been gold captured in the sweet science. Julio La Cruz Peraza from Cuba is the favourite in the 81kg division but Hooper said he could go all the way. His next fight is against Mekhontcev on Saturday. "This Russian is a lot more tidy, a lot more experienced," Hooper said. "He's a really tough opponent and if I leave myself out there with a few punches he might catch me but I'm going to be a lot more sharp and a lot smarter than what I just was.

Loading He's a quality fighter but hopefully that will bring out the quality in me. "I'm a whole different kind of fighter. He hasn't fought anybody like me. I can box, I can move, I can come forward, I can slip out, come back, I can do all those things with confidence behind me and Australia behind me. I think I can win this gold medal."