LONDON (AP) — Greece is worried that a surprise exit from the water polo tournament at the London Olympics will hamper development in the sport back home in a country crippled by debt.

The Greek men's team was bounced from the London Games with a 13-8 loss to Australia on Monday, a lackluster result by a country with a strong domestic water polo championship.

Greece, ancestral home of the Olympics, has won just two bronze medals in London — one in judo and one in rowing — as its people grapple with budget cuts and other reforms because of a financial crisis.

Greek men's water polo coach Dragan Andric said his team couldn't manage expectations.

"The pressure might be the reason" they lost, he said. "We didn't take our chances. It seems we are paying the price for being absent from big competitions for a long time."

Greek captain Georgios Afroudakis remains optimistic, although the 35-year-old warns budget cuts back home are threatening the sport's development. Greece also failed to qualify for the past two world championships.

"We expect the government to support water polo. We believe in the new generation, and the Greek government must support this team," Afroudakis said. "The swimming pools must not be closed. They must stay open."

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Paul Logothetis can be reached at: www.twitter.com/PaulLogoAP