|
 Huegill, who won a medley relay silver and a 100 meters butterfly
bronze for Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was charged with
his wife on Saturday and will appear at a Sydney court next month.
"Police were patrolling Randwick racecourse as part of their general
duties when they were directed to a suite in the grandstand by
security personnel," a police spokeswoman said.
"Police spoke to a 35-year-old old man and his 30-year-old wife, who
were alleged to be in possession of a small quantity of white
powder, believed to be cocaine."
Huegill posted links on his Twitter account on Saturday to pictures
of himself and his wife beaming in a room at the race meeting while
drinking champagne.
"Enjoying the day with @mshuegill in the Moët suites at Randwick
today," a caption read.
Huegill's lawyer Paul Hunt confirmed the couple were issued with a
court notice.
"As the matter is not yet resolved, my clients do not intend to make
any further comment at this point in time," he said in a statement.
A former 50m butterfly world record holder, Huegill retired from the
pool after the 2004 Athens Olympics and battled depression, weight
and alcohol problems before making a highly publicised comeback in
2008.
He won golds at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and took a world
championship bronze in Shanghai the following year before quitting
the pool again after failing to qualify for the 2012 London Games.
[to top of second column] |
Huegill's drugs charge follows problems with fellow former
Australian swimmers in Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett in recent
months.
Five-time Olympic champion Thorpe was checked into a health clinic
in February to treat depression after he was found disoriented and
behaving oddly near a parked car in a Sydney suburb.
Triple Olympic champion Hackett flew to the United States later the
same month to seek treatment for an addiction to a sleeping
medication after he was photographed shirtless in the lobby of a
Melbourne casino.
(Writing by Ian Ransom; editing by Greg Stutchbury)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
