Rhys Williams has been withdrawn by Team Wales from the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after the 400m hurdler was charged with violating an IAAF anti-doping regulation.

The 2012 European champion has consequently been given a provisional suspension from all competitions by United Kingdom Anti-Doping following results of an in-competition testing during the Glasgow GrandPrix earlier in July.

UKAD also stated that ”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.”

The 30-year old hurdler stated after his suspension that ”The news of this anti-doping rule violation… has come as a great shock to me. I would strongly like to state that I have not knowingly taken any banned substance.”

Williams was co-captain of Wales’ athletics team at the Games and he becomes the second Welsh athlete withdrawal from Glasgow 2014 following the suspension of 800m athlete Gareth Warburton over alleged drug violations before the commencement of the Games.