Australian Olympic hockey player Tom Craig, considered one of the best in the world, was caught buying cocaine from a drug dealer near the Olympic Village.
This incident occurred as the Australian men's hockey team faced a crushing 2-0 loss to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, ending their run at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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According to reports, Tom Craig had originally planned to attend a party with his friends and family but later decided to go to a bar. He was subsequently caught by authorities on the street, buying cocaine from a dealer.
After being detained for 18 hours by the police, Craig was released with a warning and did not face any charges.
Following his arrest, the 28-year-old athlete, who's represented Australia in over 100 matches, expressed regret and offered an apology.
"I'd first like to apologize for what has occurred in the last 24 hours. I made a terrible mistake. I take full responsibility for my actions. My actions are my own and in no way reflect the values of my family, my teammates, my friends, my sport, and the Australian Olympic team. I’ve embarrassed you all. I'm truly sorry," Craig told the press.
Hockey Australia will sanction Tom Craig. In the meantime, he will travel to Germany to play club hockey.
"He is a good person who made a bad decision. But there are consequences for decisions like this. He has apologized, shown remorse, he has owned up to his mistake, and we will support him if he needs help," Chef de Mission for Australia Anna Meares said.