Australian Invictus Games powerlifter charged over steroids, cocaine stash
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An Australian powerlifter competing in the Invictus Games is facing drugs and weapons charges, after he was allegedly found with a stash of steroids, cocaine and peptides last month.
Afghanistan veteran Tyrone Ian Gawthorne — who gained publicity for his brush with Games founder Prince Harry while training for the event last year — was arrested by Queensland police in Cairns on September 17.
It is alleged Mr Gawthorne was found in his car with the anabolic steroid fluoxymesterone, the peptide melanotan, over two grams of cocaine and a weapon not properly secured.
The 2017 Invictus Games silver medallist was listed to compete in powerlifting at the Sydney event yesterday, as well as discus and shotput later this week.
Mr Gawthorne faces two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, as well as restricted drugs without medical endorsement.
The latter allegedly included letrozole and anasprozole, which can be used to treat the unwelcome side effects of steroid use.
He is due to front Cairns Magistrates Court again in December, including on charges of failing to safely secure a weapon in his car and flouting a police order to unlock an electronic device.
Mr Gawthorne has featured in publicity material for the games and his profile remains on the Australian Defence Force website.
The former army rifleman — who owns a hotel, a gym and sports supplements stores called Body Beyond Belief in north Queensland — was also featured as an entrepreneur in The Australian newspaper's The Deal magazine last month.
He was arrested five days earlier on a street in Mooroobool, in Cairns' west, and held in the watchhouse overnight before a magistrate granted him bail.
Mr Gawthorne declined an interview request by the ABC.
He told The Australian last month he was medically discharged from the army in 2011 with physical injury and post-traumatic stress disorder after two tours of Afghanistan and three of East Timor.
Australian team management said it was aware of allegations made against a 2018 Australian Invictus Games team member.
"All members of the 2018 Australian Invictus Games team are bound by the team code of conduct. This code reflects the standards and values of the Invictus Games," it said.
"Appropriate action will be taken in the event anyone is found to have breached the team code of conduct.
"As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to make any further comment."
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