BOWLS: A disabled bowls player from New Zealand, John Davies, has been sent home from the Commonwealth Games in Manchester after being accused of sexually harassing a female volunteer.

New Zealand team officials expelled Davies after investigating a written complaint. They would not disclose exactly what Davies was alleged to have done, citing the volunteer's privacy as the reason.

But they said it was a serious breach of conduct and, coupled with the severity of the disciplinary action taken, it is understood the complaint involved more than verbal harassment.

New Zealand chef de mission Dave Currie said the volunteer had a right to press charges with the police, but she had indicated she would not do that and wanted the New Zealand team to handle the issue.

A Manchester police spokeswoman confirmed that no complaint had been received.

Currie said he received the complaint from the Games' organisers and spoke to the volunteer and to Davies.

"As a result of that we have removed an athlete from the team and he is now on his way back to New Zealand," said Currie.

"We're not going into detail. We clearly want to protect the woman involved. Clearly it was an invasion of the space and privacy of the person involved.

"We deemed the behaviour to be unacceptable and have taken action on it."

Davies (60), from Foxton Beach, has one leg amputated below the knee. He was the lead player in the New Zealand disabled triples team.

His expulsion from the Games meant the triple have had to withdraw from the Games, defaulting their final two pool games yesterday after earlier notching up a win and a loss.

Currie said the New Zealand team had apologised to the Games organisers and the volunteer.

He said Davies was remorseful and accepted that what he did was inappropriate.

"At the time he did not quite see it that way and I guess now he regards it as being silly, embarrassing, something that on reflection he wished he hadn't done," Currie said. "John did not dispute what happened - he maybe saw it in a more light-hearted, jocular vein."

Davies was quoted as saying: "I fully regret my actions. I understand that what I did was silly and embarrassing. I would like to apologise to all concerned for this unfortunate incident."

Currie added that it was up to Bowls New Zealand to decide what action, if any, they might take about Davies' future participation in the sport.

Currie would not say exactly where the incident took place, other than admitting that it was in a public area "within the Games environment", or what time it happened.

The volunteer's age and background were also being kept confidential.

All New Zealand athletes had signed a code of conduct agreement before coming to Manchester, saying they would conduct themselves in a proper manner, observe local laws and not bring the team into disrepute.

Currie said team administrators believed Davies had brought the team into disrepute.

Bowls New Zealand has supported the decision to expel Davies from the team.

"We feel for John but we support the actions of team management," said bowls team manager Peter Khan.