A weekly newspaper which claimed that a successful discus thrower was a cocaine dealer has settled a libel action with the sportsman.

International athlete Abdul Buhari sued over an article which appeared in the Thurrock Gazette on July 6.

The story falsely alleged that he was guilty of selling cocaine from a hostel for vulnerable people in London and, having admitted the offence, had been sentenced to two years in prison.

It was also alleged that the judge considered the offence so serious that, if he were to re-offend, he would be deported after serving a further jail sentence of at least seven years.

The article, which was accompanied by a photo of Buhari in his Great Britain athletics kit, also said he was guilty of tax evasion.

The Gazette published an apology and made an offer of amends before the case was heard in court.

Its apology stated: “In our report ‘Drug-dealer athlete unmasked by police', we falsely alleged that Abdul Buhari, one of the top discus throwers in Great Britain, who competes at national and international level and represents the Newham and Essex Beagles, was found guilty of selling cocaine from a hostel for vulnerable people in London and subsequently imprisoned for two years.

“We further falsely suggested that Mr Buhari had evaded taxes.

”We are happy to make clear that these allegations are completely untrue. We apologise unreservedly to Mr Buhari for the distress and embarrassment caused to him by our article."

Media Lawyer reports that the athlete’s solicitor, Felicity Robinson, told Mr Justice Eady at the High Court that the allegations were totally false – and that he had never been in trouble with the police at all.

The claims had caused him a great deal of distress, humiliation and embarrassment, and he had had to account for them to his friends, employer and members of his athletics club, Newham and Essex Beagles.