Australian field hockey player suspended over attempted cocaine purchase at Paris Olympics
Sydney, Sep 11: Field hockey player Tom Craig has been suspended for 12 months by the sport's Australian governing body for attempting to purchase cocaine at the Paris Olympics.
Craig was arrested but released without charge after trying to purchase the drug in Paris on Aug.7 during a night out after his Olympic campaign ended.
He faced Australian media in Paris after French prosecutors issued a statement confirming the now 29-year-old Olympian — a silver medalist at Tokyo three years ago — was given a criminal warning and released after spending a night in custody.
“Following an investigation into the arrest involving national men's hockey team athlete Tom Craig at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Hockey Australia's Integrity Unit has imposed a 12-month suspension,” the Hockey Australia statement said Wednesday.
"Six months of this suspension will be served fully, with the remaining six months fully suspended, contingent upon meeting conduct and behavioral requirements.”
Hockey Australia said Craig would remain eligible for selection to the 2025 national men's squad which is expected to be announced at the end of this year.
The Australian men's team placed sixth in Paris.
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PM Modi to address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM, a day after a bill to implement women's reservation in legislatures was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
"The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8.30 PM (April 18, Saturday)," an official said.
Modi is expected to delve into the issue of implementation of women's quota and the happenings in Parliament, where opposition parties on Friday voted against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
Under the Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased up to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
A two-thirds majority was required for the passage of the crucial bill but the ruling BJP-led alliance could not muster the numbers.
During polling on the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday night, 298 members voted in its support, while 230 MPs voted against it.
Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
