Aussie player held for ‘buying cocaine’

PARIS: Australian Olympic hockey player Tom Craig has been arrested in Paris after allegedly trying to buy cocaine on the streets of the French capital late Tuesday night.

The identity of the player was not confirmed by the Australian Olympic Committee but it stated on Wednesday morning regarding the arrest. “The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has confirmed an Australian hockey team member is in custody after being arrested in Paris on August 6th,” a spokesperson said.

“No charges have been laid. The AOC is continuing to make enquiries and arrange support for the team member.” The Paris public prosecutor’s office said that police officers had witnessed a cocaine transaction in the ninth arrondissement of the city on Tuesday night, and arrested two men.

“Police officers … arrested the seller, born in December 2006, and the buyer, born in September 1995 in Australia and said to be a member of the Australian field hockey team,” a spokesperson said.

“In view of the quantities of narcotics seized from the seller, the investigations were entrusted to the narcotics brigade. Both people are in police custody.” Craig, an experienced member of the team, was playing at his second Olympic Games after winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

The episode comes at the end of a disappointing Olympic campaign for both Australia’s hockey teams. The Kookaburras lost 2-0 to Netherlands in their quarter-final on Sunday, after the men’s team came into the tournament with medal aspirations, while the Hockeyroos, the women’s team, went down to China 3-2 on Monday.