English club rugby player Leigh Dearden has been banned from all sport for four years following an in-competition test March 23.
Dearden, who is registered as a player for Lincoln RFC, is banned from the date of his provisional suspensions (May 31, 2019), until May 30, 2023.
Dearden provided a urine sample. That sample was analysed and returned Adverse Analytical Findings for Drostanolone and a metabolite, two metabolites of Oxymetholone, and cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine. All are prohibited substances and included on the 2018 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Dearden was charged with a breach of World Rugby regulation 21.2.1, “Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an Athlete’s Sample”.
Dearden has not provided any evidence to conclude that Anti-Doping Rule Violation was not intentional. Given this, he was handed a four-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Panel.
RFU Anti-Doping and Illicit Drugs Programme Manager Stephen Watkins said: “All rugby players are subject to the anti-doping rules which are in place to protect players and the integrity of our sport.”