Welsh Athletics have confirmed this morning that their co-captain for the Commonwealth Games, Rhys Williams, has been provisionally suspended from competition.
The reigning European 400m hurdles Champion has been charged with committing an anti-doping rule violation under the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules.
The Cardiff athlete, who won bronze in Delhi 2010, also deleted his Twitter account earlier this week.
The news comes only a week after fellow Welsh Commonwealth Games athlete, Gareth Warburton, was also suspended for a doping violation on 16th July.
Williams, who will now miss the Games, failed a post-competition drugs test at the Glasgow Diamond League earlier this month.
Following the announcement, which comes as a huge blow Team Wales, Williams released a statement on his website;
“I am utterly devastated about the news of this anti-doping rule violation, which has come as a great shock to me. From the outset, I would strongly like to state that I have not knowingly taken any banned substance.
As a professional athlete, I have always supported and have been an advocate of clean sport. However, I recognise that the responsibility for this situation lies with me and I’m committed to working with UK Anti-Doping and will fully cooperate in the legal process.
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all the best to my teammates at the Commonwealth Games. To be named Co-Team Captain for the Welsh Athletics Team was a great honour and I am distraught that I won’t be able to fulfil this role and join them as part of Team Wales. I wish them all well.
Finally, in line with this process and until the hearing of the National Anti-Doping Panel, I will not be making any further comment.”
