Yahoo News Wales Co-Captain Charged With Doping
European 400m hurdles champion Rhys Williams has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games after being charged with doping offences.
Williams, who won a bronze in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, is the co-captain of the Wales team in Glasgow.
UK Anti-Doping chief executive Andy Parkinson confirmed: "We can confirm the provisional suspension of athlete Rhys Williams after being charged with committing an anti-doping rule violation under the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules.
"The athlete has the opportunity to respond to the charges against him, and to have those charges determined at a full hearing before the National Anti-Doping Panel.
"UK Anti-Doping will not be making any further comment."
The 30-year-old, the son of rugby union great JJ Williams, becomes the second Welsh athlete to be forced out of the Commonwealth Games over an alleged anti-doping violation after 800m runner Gareth Warburton.
A Team Wales statement said: "Team Wales has today announced the withdrawal of athlete Rhys Williams from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"Rhys Williams has been handed a mandatory provisional suspension from all competition by UK Anti-Doping, after being charged with committing an anti-doping rule violation under the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules following an in-competition test at the Glasgow Grand Prix on 11 July 2014.
"The athlete has the opportunity to respond to the charges against him, and to have those charges determined at a full hearing before the National Anti-Doping Panel.
"Team Wales has worked with athletes to ensure they understand their anti-doping responsibilities. All athletes and athlete support personnel have had access to anti-doping education through their national governing body, which has been facilitated by Sport Wales and approved by UK Anti-Doping.
"UK Anti-Doping is the national anti-doping organisation for the UK and has responsibility for the management of results and prosecution of disciplinary proceedings brought under the anti-doping rules of the IAAF.
"Team Wales and UK Anti-Doping will not be making any further comment."
