Northern Ireland

Conor Wallace dropped from NI Commonwealth Games team

Conor Wallace, right, with UFC star Conor McGregor who invited him to Las Vegas to help him train in 2016
Conor Wallace, right, with UFC star Conor McGregor who invited him to Las Vegas to help him train in 2016 Conor Wallace, right, with UFC star Conor McGregor who invited him to Las Vegas to help him train in 2016

CHAMPION boxer Conor Wallace has been dropped from the Northern Ireland team ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The NI Commonwealth Games Council said only yesterday that it "can confirm that an athlete has been deselected from TeamNI for Gold Coast 2018”.

“We are not at liberty to discuss the matter any further.

“The NICGC are investigating all options regarding a potential replacement athlete, working within the comprehensive selection process which has been running for the last 18 months, and any decision will be notified within days.”

In January Mr Wallace posted a video on Facebook insisting he had not been arrested after footage emerged online of him being confronted by ‘vigilantes’ at a hotel in Newry.

Police said yesterday they were "investigating a complaint against a 21-year-old from the Newry area in relation to offences concerning child protection”.

A solicitor for Mr Wallace told the BBC they intend to look at options to appeal his deselection.

"We have put the committee on notice that if this decision is not reversed, we will have no option but to seek an injunction.

"Our client has not been arrested or questioned by the police. We are convinced that Mr Wallace will be exonerated in due course."