Grove had become disillusioned by sport in Australia, citing lack of financial support and facilities compared to what other countries offered their athletes.
Following an injury sustained during the trials for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games and subsequently being overlooked for the team, he left Australia at the end of 1973 and moved to Austria with his fiancee, securing a scholarship at the Vienna Sports College with a $136 monthly allowance.
During the 10-metre high-board event, Grove clipped his toes and was awarded up to just three-and-a-halves, giving him a finishing position of 32 out of 35, knocking his confidence.
[5] During the trials for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games, Grove tore a shoulder muscle and was forced to withdraw, after being overlooked when the team was officially announced.
His experiences were not uncommon, as it was reported that Australian sportspeople were falling behind competitors in Europe due to substandard facilities and lack of financial backing.
[11] During his career in Australia, Grove was considered as "a known rebel" against sports bureaucracy and is one of only two Australian Olympians to compete at the Olympics for two different countries.
[15] Grove's father Jack was a leading official in the New South Wales diving association, and commenting on his son's decision to renounce his Australian citizenship, said that "it's a poor reflection on Australia that Ken can see no future in amateur sport".