POSTED: August 4th 2009
NewsUpdate
Ex-England rugby pair handed nine-month dope-test suspensions
KEIR RADNEDGE / Sports Features Communications
LONDON: Rugby union has become the latest sport forced to cope with a dope test issue after the suspensions of the former England players Michael Lipman and Alex Crockett and ex-Bath team-mate Andrew Higgins.
The three have been suspended by the Rugby Football Union's disciplinary panel for nine months after being found guilty of missing two drug tests. The suspension was reduced from 15 months and backdated to June 1. This means they can play again from April next year; allegations that the players had taken drugs were dropped before the opening of the hearing.
Lipman, 29, and Crockett, 27, (right) were co-captains of Bath last season. They and 27-year-old Higgins are all currently without a club ahead of the start of the new season at the start of next month.
The players’ solicitor, Richard Mallett, said: “All three players are absolutely devastated by this result and that they have now been suspended from playing the game they love.
Panel's opinion
"We would like to emphasis that the charges against the players that they had actually taken cocaine were dismissed at the beginning of the proceedings. They are considering their position."
The panel, chaired by Judge Jeff Blackett, said it took “no pleasure in imposing its sanction as the players involved are decent young men.” It added: "If the players had nothing to fear from taking a drugs test then they would have taken them.
"The reality of the case was that at the time when asked to take a drugs test, the players believed there was a risk of positive results. This was either because they knew they had ingested drugs or they had drunk so much alcohol that they could not remember whether or not they had ingested drugs.
"Each of the players therefore decided to play for time, keep out of contact and then hide behind legal defence."
A former Bath player, Australian lock Justin Harrison, had already been banned for eight months after he admitted taking illegal drugs. Last February, Bath and England prop Matt Stevens was given a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine.
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Keywords · Rugby union · dope-test · Lipman · Crockett · Andrew Higgins · Rugby Football Union · Justin Harrison · Matt Stevens
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