Thomas Craig, a member of the Australian field hockey team, is speaking out after his arrest for allegedly purchasing cocaine in Paris.
After the Aussies fell out of medal contention, Craig reportedly left a team meeting on Tuesday and was arrested 15 minutes later.
“I’d firstly like to apologize for what has occurred in the last 24 hours. I made a terrible mistake. I take full responsibility for my actions,” Craig told reporters outside the police station.
“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 was not convinced but received a warning from a French judge.
The Australian National Olympic Committee issued a statement expressing their disappointment in Craig.
“I cannot condone what Tom has done. He is a good person who made a bad decision. But there are consequences for decisions like this,” Australia’s Chef de Mission Anna Meares said in a statement via Reuters.
“As a result, Tom will lose all his remaining Olympic privileges. He had already moved out of the Olympic Village, and I understand he was not intending to return for the Closing Ceremony. If he were, he would not be able to attend.
“Our team has been exemplary at these Games, and his actions do not reflect the values of the team, nor does it diminish this team’s performance.”
“Police officers who witnessed a cocaine transaction at the foot of a building in the ninth arrondissement (of Paris), on the night of August 6 to 7, arrested the seller, born in December 2006, and the buyer, born in September 1995 in Australia,” the Paris police department said.
Craig, who won silver with Australia in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has appeared in more than 100 matches for Australia.
Reuters contributed to this story.
