The 30-year-old became a national hero when he beat teenager McGoldrick in the final of the 56kg bantamweight category in New Delhi last October claiming the first Commonwealth Games gold medal won by a Sri Lankan boxer for 72 years.

But Wanniarachchi announced his retirement last month and gave up his plans to appeal to CAS officially, with the deadline of May 29 to appeal now having expired, after being threatened with a life ban by the country's Sports Minister after he lost his appeal before a special Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Court in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month following a positive test for anabolic steroids.

Wanniarachchi had contested the issue claimed that there was a problem with the storage of his B sample but there is no doubt that pressure brought on him by the Government has forced him to give up his fight.

The gold medal will now be officially re-allocated to McGoldrick, with the decision due to be officially announced next week, insidethegames understands. 

It means that Wales will rise two places from 15th to 13th on the official final medal table - by virtue of most silver medals - leapfrogging Northern Ireland and Samoa who are currently 13th and 14th respectively.

According to International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) rules, records are altered to show that Wanniarachchi never competed in the competition.

This means that as McGoldrick is elevated to gold, Tirafalo Seoko of Botswana, who was beaten by Wanniarachchi in the semi-final, is promoted to silver and Nicholas Okoth of Kenya, who was beaten by Wanniarachchi in the quarter-final, is set to receive a bronze medal.

Louis Julie of Mauritius, who lost to McGoldrick in the other bantamweight semi-final, will simply retain his bronze medal as two bronze medals are awarded in the boxing event at the Commonwealth Games.

Wanniarachchi is already said to have handed his gold medal back to the CGF with the long-running episode finally set to draw to a conclusion.

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