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Tom Craig cops sanctions from Australian Olympic Team after Aussie athlete arrested in Paris

The Australian hockey player has issued an apology after escaping with a warning.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·3-min read

The Australian Olympic Committee has stripped Tom Craig of his athletes' privileges and banned him from attending the closing ceremony after his arrest in Paris on Tuesday. The Australian hockey player fronted the media in Paris on Wednesday after spending the night in police custody, after he was arrested for attempting to buy cocaine.

Craig was released with a warning, and escaped without a fine or criminal conviction. The 28-year-old has played for the Kookaburras for 10 years, and was a member of the team that won silver at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

"I would firstly like to apologise for what has occurred over the last 24 hours," he said on Wednesday. "I made a terrible mistake and I take full responsibility for my actions. My actions are my own and by no way reflect the values of my family, my teammates, my friends, the sport and the Australian Olympic team. I have embarrassed you all and I'm truly sorry."

Tom Craig, pictured here fronting the media in Paris.
Tom Craig fronted the media in Paris and apologised. Image: AAP

Australia's Chef de mission Anna Meares issued a statement later on Wednesday, and revealed Craig has been stripped of his athletes' privileges as a result. It means he won't be able to take any further part in the Olympics and won't be allowed to attend the closing ceremony.

Tom Craig, pictured here after his arrest.
Tom Craig was arrested after trying to buy cocaine in Paris. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING

Meares said Craig was "a good person who had made a poor decision but there are consequences for decisions like this". She added: "I cannot condone what Tom has done.

"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. He has apologised, shown remorse, he has owned up to his mistake, and we will support him if he needs help.

"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 seremony. If he were, he would not be able to attend. In terms of our actions, at this point there is not much further we can do as this happened outside the team environment."

Tom Craig, pictured here in action for the Kookaburras at the Paris Olympics.
Tom Craig in action for the Kookaburras at the Paris Olympics. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

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The scandal takes some of the shine off Australia's most successful campaign in Olympics history. Aussie athletes won four more gold medals on day 12, with Nina Kennedy snaring the 18th gold of the Games - the most the country has ever won at one Olympics. It surpasses the 17 we won in Tokyo in 2021 and Athens in 2004.

Both of Australia's hockey teams - including Craig's Kookaburras - were eliminated from competition in the quarter-finals before attending a function at their hotel on Tuesday. The Kookaburras lost 2-0 to Netherlands on Sunday, before the Hockeyroos women's team fell to China 3-2 in controversial circumstances on Monday.

The Paris Public Prosecutor's office said Craig was arrested after officers witnessed an attempt to purchase cocaine in the 9th arrondissement. A spokesperson said: "Police officers who witnessed a cocaine transaction at the foot of a building in the 9th arrondissement, on the night of August 6 to 7, arrested 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."

with AAP