Pa Salieu claims he has been dropped from the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony next week after failing a background check.

The rapper took to Twitter to show footage of him rehearsing for the ceremony before revealing that he was “removed from the show because ‘I failed a background check.’”

Salieu was cleared of engaging in violent disorder during a brawl in 2018 which saw his friend stabbed to death, reports BBC News.

But he was convicted of possessing a bottle as an offensive weapon and had previously admitted a second count of violent disorder relating to an attack on a man shortly after the brawl. His final sentencing was due to be in May.

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— PA SALIEU (@KING_SALIEU) August 2, 2022

Speaking about his removal he wrote: “Yesterday (August 1) I received a call to say that I’m being removed from the show because I ‘failed a background check’. I can’t keep being silent about this stuff. I’ve already had to cancel 90% of my shows this year because the Home Office won’t process the paperwork I need to travel abroad until my court case is finished.

“I have fully co-operated with the process. Attended court on time every single day. The trial ended in March, but they keep just moving the final sentencing date which was due to be in May. Most recently the date moved because the ‘prosecutor has gone on holiday’.”

He continued: “I’ve consistently been trying to use my career to show people where I’m from that there is another life for us. One away from the roads. But what can you do if the police, the justice system and the home office don’t care about you and put everything possible in your way to stop you trying to get on with your life?

“Next weeks performance should have been a celebration. What is the real reason here?? How can you fail a ‘background check’ to perform at a closing ceremony. What does that even mean?”

A spokesperson for the Games told NME it would not comment on individual cases but said everyone involved went through the same accreditation process.