Glasgow 2014: Drug tests add to Wales’ woes

The excitement of the Commonwealth Games is gathering momentum as countries are competing hard to add more medals to their honor, one participating nation, Wales is counting their loses following the suspension of four key contestants who failed drug test.

Wales’ stuttering Commonwealth Games campaign took yet another blow after co-captain Rhys Williams failed a drugs test.

The 400m hurdler is the second Welsh athlete to miss the Games over alleged drug violations after 800m runner Gareth Warburton’s suspension.

Added to that, leading medal hopes have pulled out in the build-up with injury or having their accreditation removed.

And Team Wales conceded their target of 27 medals would be tough to achieve.

The first of those medals was won on Thursday evening with team silver in rhythmic gymnastics.

But so far Wales’ 2014 Games will be remembered for the wrong reasons with Williams the latest to be added to that list.

The 30-year-old son of former Wales and Lions rugby player JJ Williams tested positive for both his A and B samples when tested at the Glasgow Grand Prix on 11 July.

The 2012 European champion has been banned from all competition by UK Anti-Doping pending a hearing and says he is “devastated” while denying knowingly taking any banned substance.

His suspension, along with Warburton, has prompted the chief executive of Welsh Athletics to launch his own investigation.

Matt Newman said: “All of the athletes have been through a comprehensive education programme as part of their selection from the long list back in November.

“Both of these athletes are Olympians and have been through a very strict education programme for the London Olympics as well. Clearly something has happened that has broken the code of conduct that’s been set out in that education.”

Away from the track, gold medal hopeful and 2012 Olympic silver medallist boxer Fred Evans was ruled out earlier this week after being refused accreditation.

The reasons are unclear but follow checks by the Home Office and Games officials.

Kick boxer Ashley Brace is also missing from the Games after being banned by the International Boxing Association who said she had kick boxed professionally.

And there has also been a row involving triathlete Leanda Cave who criticised Team Wales claiming they did not have a back-up plan after Helen Jenkins and Non Stanford pulled out through injury.

But the body said Cave could not have been called up to replace them because Welsh Triathlon had not nominated her.

If that host of missing medal hopefuls was not enough, two-time world champion Becky James is also out of the track cycling events with a knee injury.

Anthony Nlebem