Paris 2024: Australia hockey player arrested for allegedly buying cocaine

A member of Australia’s hockey team has been arrested in Paris and is in custody for allegedly buying cocaine.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said the individual was arrested on Tuesday night for buying cocaine in the ninth arrondissement.

The Australia Olympic Committee (AOC), who did not name the individual or say what the offence was, said they had not yet been charged.

They have been widely named in the media as men’s player Tom Craig – a 28-year-old Olympic silver medallist at Tokyo 2020 – although the BBC has been unable to verify this.

BBC Sport has contacted the AOC to ask if they can confirm it is Craig.

In a statement to the BBC, the prosecutor’s office 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 6th to 7th, 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.”

Australia’s men’s and women’s hockey teams were both knocked out at the quarter-final stage at Paris 2024.

“The AOC is continuing to make enquiries and arrange support for the team member,” the body said.