Ex-world champion Jack Bobridge jailed for four-and-a-half years for drug-dealing

Former world champion ​Jack Bobridge has been jailed for four and a half years for drug dealing.

The 29-year-old was found guilty in May by a court in Perth, Western Australia, of four counts of supplying MDMA, including to an undercover police officer.

> Former world champion Jack Bobridge found guilty of supplying MDMA

Bobridge retired shortly after the Rio Olympics in 2016 due to rheumatoid arthritis and opened a gym in Perth.

He was caught after a friend and fellow cyclist Alex McGregor was arrested during a police sting operation targeting the supply of drugs at nightspots in the city.

He had denied the charges against him, but admitted during his trial that he had used drugs including ecstasy and cocaine and also abused alcohol while based in Europe during his racing career.

Sentencing Bobridge, Judge Stephen Scott told him that he his addiction to drink and drugs did not excuse his supplying them, reports the Independent.

“You’ve been an outstanding athlete,” the judge told him during a sentencing hearing today. “This is an absolute tragedy.”

Bobridge will be eligible for parole once he has served two years and six months of his sentence.

Twice an Australian national road champion, Bobridge’s biggest successes came on the track.

He twice helped Australia win world championship gold in the team pursuit, and won the rainbow jersey in the individual pursuit in 2011.

He was also part of the Australian quartet that took Olympic silver behind Team GB at both London 2012 and in Rio three years ago.