An Invictus Games athlete who was competing in the Australian sporting event has quit after it was revealed he faces charges for drugs and weapons offences. Powerlifter Tyrone Gawthorne, who has met Prince Harry a few times, was accused of possessing steroids and cocaine. The illegal drugs were allegedly found in his car when he was driving in Queensland in September. Tyrone, 36, also faces criminal action for having a rifle that was not properly secured.
In a statement to ABC, Tyrone insisted that he had not taken any substance that "would unfairly enhance my sporting performance at the Games". He added: "I cannot express how sorry I am for not disclosing to the team that I had been arrested. I have let down my family and friends and my teammates, and my actions are not in keeping with the spirit of the Games. I would like to sincerely apologise to everyone who has been affected by my actions."
© Photo: Getty ImagesTyrone won a silver medal at the Toronto Games last year
Tyrone was first introduced to Prince Harry in October 2017 during a training session for the Toronto Games. The pair reportedly met again on Sunday when Harry attended an event for the Sydney Games in Australia. He was awarded a silver medal in a powerlifting competition on Tuesday night, but the following morning it emerged that he had quit after team bosses discovered he faced charges.
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Harry and Meghan arrive at Invictus Games:
The Invictus Games kicked off on Saturday with a grand opening ceremony held at the Sydney Opera House. Proceedings were delayed by around an hour as severe thunderstorms hit the iconic Aussie landmark. Harry and Meghan made a much-anticipated appearance, with the Duke giving a speech on the night. His unborn baby was clearly on his mind as he thanked Australia, his host country, for the warm welcome and made reference to his "newest addition".
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"First of all, thank you for the welcome you have given Meghan and I over the last few days," he said. "I have been so proud to be able to introduce my wife to you and we have been so happy to be able to celebrate the personal joy of our newest addition with you all."
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