Wimbledon drugs scandal as 'Hawk-eye' worker is sacked for smuggling cannabis

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The 24-year-old from Mersham, Surrey, was issued with a penalty notice by the Metropolitan Police after Wimbledon's security arm, Group 4 Securicor, discovered the illegal substance during a routine bag search at the Gate 1 entrance to The Championships.

Although the Hawk-Eye representative had only just started work for the organisation, the circumstances of his dismissal are a huge embarrassment to the operators of the cutting edge linecalling technology in their first week at the most high-profile venue in tennis.

Images of their computer operators — trainee or otherwise — spaced out smoking spliffs at the All England Club is hardly in keeping with finetuning the detailed definition of a tennis ball's landing mark using sophisticated image processing.

The drugs scandal will also cause serious unease within the BBC, who regard the Wimbledon fortnight as their flagship sports rights, because the Hawk-Eye man was wearing a BBC pass when he was caught.

Hawk-Eye had asked the Beeb to apply for Wimbledon accreditation for their representatives, which meant the All England Club initially had the impression the drugs holder worked for the BBC because of the credentials he was wearing.

A BBC spokesperson said: "We want to stress the individual involved had nothing to do with the Corporation and had only just started work for Hawk-Eye. He was sacked on the spot when the Hawk-Eye boss found out what had happened."

The All England Club said: "The incident shows that our security system is working." A police spokesperson said: "A 24-year-old man from Mersham was issued with a penalty notice after being discovered in possession of cannabis."