Ten Australian athletes have been detained by Brazilian police after allegedly altering their accreditation to gain entry to the Boomers basketball game on Friday night (local time).

An AOC spokesman confirmed that athletes from a number of sports - including cycling, rugby and rowing - were taken to a police station near the Olympic Park to be questioned by local authorities.

The 10 athletes filed out of the police station at 2.40am Rio time and were led to another building to face a judge, where it was hoped their release would be secured. They had already been detained for more than seven hours.

Among the athletes were rugby sevens captain Ed Jenkins, cyclist Matthew Glaetzer, archer Alec Potts as well as rowers Fiona Albert and Lucy Stephen. A number shielded their faces as they were paraded past a large media pack.