Pool queen Kaylee McKeown directs a big ‘f**k you’ towards swimming organisers – after the Aussie star was controversially disqualified at World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan

Olympic swimming champion Kaylee McKeown has directed a big ‘f**k you’ towards swimming organisers after she was disqualified at the world championships and robbed of a likely medal.

McKeown and Aussie officials are confused by her disqualification from the 200m individual medley semi-final on Sunday night.

Judges decided she breached the stroke regulations when she transferred from the backstroke to breaststroke – but McKeown argues she did nothing wrong.

‘I didn’t get to see it last night, but this morning I saw the footage (see below) and I had a bit of a cry,’ McKeown said.

‘It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but you know, it’s sport and it’s what happens in sport. Unfortunately, some people just get the bad hand and I got dealt that bad hand.

Judges decided she breached the stroke regulations when she transferred from the backstroke to breaststroke on Sunday night

‘It’s just a matter of trying to flip it into a positive and just give the big F-you kind of thing.’

Australian head coach Rohan Taylor lodged a formal protest to get McKeown reinstated, but it was rejected.

‘It’s done, they say no, they upheld it. I disagree 100% but I don’t think it’s definitive. That’s what we protested on,’ he said.

‘I’ve watched the video … It’s about the angle. I said I don’t think it’s definitive and that’s what we protested but they said they’re standing by it.

‘At the end of the day, that’s the rules. They have that in place, they don’t want you to roll past the 90 degree. I disagreed but the rules are the rules.

‘They have cameras on every lane. That’s why it’s taking so much time in the heats, because they’re reviewing everything, looking at things.

‘It’s absolutely going to be the world we live in now. That’s where it’s going to be … She’ll learn from it. She’s got to move on to the next thing.’

McKeown says her disqualification from the medley has only fuelled her motivation to win further races, including her pet event – the 100m backstroke.

McKeown says her disqualification from the event has only fuelled her motivation 

McKeown was photographed giving her sister Taylor the middle finger after winning silver in the 200m medley at the Commonwealth Games in 2022

‘S**t happens. Unfortunately it’s something I have to learn from. We have footage and other angles that say otherwise to what the officials saw. 

‘You’ve got to go with what they’re saying. That’s the rules and I broke the rules apparently. I can’t do much about that.,’ she said.

‘I can’t really waste time. There’s Americans and Canadians coming left, right and centre. So I’ve got to put my best foot forward and see where that gets me over the next two days.’

McKeown famously dropped the F-bomb in a live poolside interview after winning gold in the 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Games.

The Aussie star was also photographed giving her sister Taylor the middle finger after winning silver in the 200m medley at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.