Australia's Tom Craig has admitted to making a 'terrible mistake' after being removed from the Olympic Village at Paris 2024.
Craig was named as part of the Australia men's hockey team that won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
But they were knocked out at the quarter-final stage in Paris after losing 2-0 to the Netherlands.
Then on Tuesday evening, the Paris prosecutor's office announced that an individual had been arrested on suspicion of buying cocaine.
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It later emerged that the individual in question was Craig, who has over 100 international caps for Australia.
He was subsequently released with a warning and received no conviction or fine, but it was confirmed by Australia's chef de mission that Craig had left the Olympic Village.
The 28-year-old has also lost his Olympic privileges in Paris meaning he cannot return to the Village or attend Sunday's closing ceremony, as per Australian outlet Herald Sun.
In a statement, Paris prosecutors said: "Police officers who witnessed a cocaine transaction at the foot of a building in the 9th arrondissement (of Paris) on the night of August 6 to 7, apprehended the seller, born in December 2006, and the buyer, born in September 1995 in Australia and who is said to be a member of the Australian field hockey team.
"Given the quantities of drugs seized from the seller, the investigation has been entrusted to the anti-narcotics police."
The dealer, who is 17, could not be named because of his age.
Now, Craig has released a statement of his own in which he apologised for his behaviour.
"I'd firstly like to apologise for what has occurred in the last 24 hours," he began. "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 team-mates, my friends, my sport and the Australian Olympic team.
"I've embarrassed you all. I'm truly sorry."
Ryan Smart