Australian subject hockey participant Tom Craig has been suspended for 12 months after being arrested for allegedly shopping for cocaine through the Paris Olympics.
Hockey Australia has imposed the ban on the 29-year-old following an investigation by the governing physique’s integrity unit. The second six months of the ban shall be suspended if behavioural necessities are met.
The suspension will stop Craig from competing in any match organised by Hockey Australia, however he’ll proceed to have entry to the governing physique’s athlete help providers.
A Hockey Australia assertion learn: “Following an investigation into the arrest involving Nationwide Males’s Hockey Staff athlete Tom Craig on the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris, Hockey Australia’s Integrity Unit has imposed a 12-month suspension. Six months of this suspension shall be served totally, with the remaining six months totally suspended, contingent upon assembly conduct and behavioural necessities.
“In the course of the suspension, Craig shall be prohibited from taking part in in any match, competitors, or occasion at any stage sanctioned or organised by Hockey Australia, together with the upcoming Hockey One League and FIH Professional League seasons. Moreover, Craig is required to finish necessary coaching and education schemes as a part of his sanction.
“Craig will stay eligible for choice within the 2025 Nationwide Males’s Hockey Squad, which is anticipated to be introduced on the finish of the 12 months. Tom has had entry to all the athlete help providers beneath our program and he’ll proceed to take action all through his suspension. His welfare stays our precedence.
“The sanction takes impact from Monday, 9 September 2024.”
The Australian Nationwide Olympic Committee mentioned in an announcement to Reuters final month that Craig was launched with out being charged however acquired a warning from a French choose following his arrest in Paris.
The alleged incident happened after Australia had been eradicated by the Netherlands within the quarter-finals of the lads’s Olympic subject hockey event.
Earlier than his launch, the Paris prosecutor’s workplace informed the BBC: “Law enforcement officials who witnessed a cocaine transaction on the foot of a constructing within the ninth arrondissement (of Paris), on the night time of August sixth to seventh, apprehended the vendor, born in December 2006, and the customer, born in September 1995 in Australia and who is alleged to be a member of the Australian subject hockey crew.
“Given the portions of medication seized from the vendor, the investigation has been entrusted to the anti-narcotics police.”
Craig publicly apologised and took “full accountability” for his actions following his launch.
“I’d firstly prefer to apologise for what has occurred (over) the previous 24 hours,” Craig mentioned on August 7. “I made a horrible mistake. I take full accountability for my actions.
“My actions are my very own and by no approach replicate the values of my household, my teammates, my pals, my sport and the Australian Olympic crew. I’ve embarrassed you all, and I’m actually sorry.”
Craig was a part of the Australia facet that received silver at Tokyo 2020 and gold on the 2018 Commonwealth Video games.
(Ahmad Gharabli/AFP through Getty Pictures)