A Wales rugby international has tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug for the second time in two years.
Rhys Pugsley, from Newport, was coming towards the end of his first suspension when he was the subject of another test by United Kingdom Anti-Doping.
And the result came back positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone, with a disciplinary panel subsequently barring him from rugby league and all other sanctioned sport for EIGHT years.
The former Caerleon Comprehenshive pupil was suspended for two years in 2014 – just days before he was set to make his debut for Super League giants Wigan Warriors.
The 21-year-old was offered a contract by Whitehaven once his ban expired this year, but after being found guilty again, he is now banned from all sport until midnight on 2 March 2024.
When Championship club Whitehaven announced, six months ago, they would be recruiting Pugsley, they released a statement that said: “We understand signing Rhys will split opinion.
“Whitehaven RLFC in no way supports the use of drugs of any kind – performance-enhancing or recreational.
“The decision to sign Rhys was one we thought long and hard about. It was made with rugby in mind.
“Rhys has held his hands up and admitted what he did. He has shown remorse and has served his time.”
But just days earlier Pugsley had been subject to an out-of-competition test by UKAD, which came back positive.
Pugsley, who admitted taking nandrolone, began his league career with local club Newport Titans and joined Wigan Warriors Academy in 2012, making his Wales debut against France the following year on his 18th birthday.
UKAD’s chief executive Nicole Sapstead, said: “Rhys has singlehandedly destroyed that promising career as a result of this second violation.
“All athletes serving a sanction remain subject to testing throughout the course of their suspension, to mitigate the risk of them returning to sport and continuing to dope.
“Rhys’ conscious choice to continue to take performance-enhancing substances, whilst he was already serving a ban, has rightly been met with a further tough sanction.
“We take this type of violation with the utmost seriousness and our message is clear – there is no place in sport for those who consciously dope.”
And she added: “UKAD continues to be concerned about the number of young men who are turning to steroid use for performance or cosmetic enhancement.
“This trend continues to be a serious issue and we are calling on our partners in the sport, health and education sectors to support us in trying to tackle the issue.
“UKAD works closely with the Rugby Football League to ensure that anti-doping education, resources and support, are available to players, so that they can make the right choices throughout their careers to compete and win clean.”
An astonishing 19 of the 60 people currently banned from sport by UKAD are Welsh. Thirteen of them are rugby union players, three are from league while a weight-lifter and a boxer and boxing trainer are the others.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/rugby-league/wales-rugby-player-single-handedly-11688839
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