Drug dealing charge for SA cycling star Bobridge
South Australian dual Olympic silver medal-winning cyclist Jack Bobridge has appeared in a Perth court charged with drug offences.
The 28-year-old appeared in Perth Magistrates Court yesterday charged with five counts of drug possession and another count of possessing MDMA with the intent to sell or supply.
The three-time Olympian was charged after police searched a Yokine home and North Perth business on Wednesday as part of an operation targeting drug dealing at licensed venues in Perth’s entertainment district.
A police statement said the investigation “led detectives to charge the 28-year-old man with two counts of sell and supply a trafficable quantity of MDMA and three counts of sell and supply MDMA”.
Bobridge retired from professional cycling last year after struggling with rheumatoid arthritis, leaving professional team Trek-Segafredo in September after winning silver in the Rio Olympics.
He had won three world championship gold medals and broken the individual pursuit world record in 2011.
He was one of the Australian competitors caught up in a cyber-hack scanda last year, after medical records relating to Therapeutic Use Exemptions stolen from WADA’s data storage system were published online.
Bobridge, who had been prescribed with prednisolone and glucocorticoids, addressed the issue on social media at the time.
"1/3 Regarding the WADA hacks + "leaks"of my personal information I'd like to make it clear I have no problem with this info becoming public"
"— Jack Bobridge (@JackBobridge) September 17, 2016"
"2/3 It is widely known that I have rheumatoid arthritis that, at times has left me barely able to grip the handlebars."
"— Jack Bobridge (@JackBobridge) September 17, 2016"
Stay informed, daily
"3/3 I have taken appropriate medication for this terrible disease according to the UCI rules with their written permission."
"— Jack Bobridge (@JackBobridge) September 17, 2016"
He is set to return to court at a later date.
-with AAP
