Matt Stevens fails drug test

[Sir Speedy]

Moron

"England and Bath forward Matt Stevens has failed a drug test and has been suspended from all competition."

That's all for now. More to follow as the article says...

 

[SecondRow04]

Just seen it on Sky Sports News!

bath have suspended him

no links as of yet

very disappointing for the guy

 

[Bullitt]

If true, serves him right. Bloody idiot.


In other news, England now have NO tightheads.

 

[SecondRow04]

big shame as he will be out of the game for some time i imagine

his own fault at the end of the day

a real shame tho for england and for bath

 

[An Tarbh]

well it'll be interesting to see what he's actually failed his drugs test for, whether he's a genuine drugs cheat or there's a genuine explanation.

 

[An Tarbh]

ok scratch that he's an idiot, traces of cocaine have been found in his system so he's facing a 2 year ban

 

[Prestwick]

If it is true, words fail me as to the level of disapointment that I feel right now.

Utterly, utterly unacceptable if it is true as now not only have he let down his club and also his country but possibly also even the Lions as well if McGeechan was mulling a possible inclusion of Stevens into the squad.

It may well be the people of the West Country and possibly all of English Rugby who will be dissapointed but soon the rest of the British Isles will join them.

 

[Bullitt]

If it was cocaine, 2 years isn't enough. People caught using that should be banned for life.

Still, I bet him and Dan Browne (Bath no 8) have a mutual interest to share from now on in...

 

[An Tarbh]

So it is/was? a coke problem.

Originally posted by Eurosport
England star fails drug test

Eurosport - Tue, 20 Jan 17:32:00 2009

England and Bath forward Matt Stevens has failed a drug test and has been suspended from all competition.

The 26-year-old made the announcement in an interview with Sky Sports News.

Stevens said: "I was tested for a prohibited substance but it's not performance-enhancing, so you can take what you want from that.

"It's pretty distressing talking about this. When you think about how much time people have put into my career and I have thrown it away.

"Like any drug problem you don't know it's happening and then it mounts up and before you know it you have a problem and an illness."

Stevens did not specify which drug he had tested positive for, but added: "It started off with just a couple of nights where you take it after a big night out with your friends.

"It wasn't a big deal, (but) that's the problem with drugs, it so quickly becomes a big deal.

"I owe it to everyone to admit that. I want to say I'm truly very sorry.

"I want to change my life and hopefully one day get the faith back that people had in me."

Stevens has been suspended from all competition and removed from the England Elite Player Squad.

A statement from the Rugby Football Union read: "The Rugby Football Union has been made aware by European Rugby Cup (Ltd) of the positive doping test given by Matt Stevens following the Heineken Cup match against Glasgow Warriors in December 2008.

"The procedure for potential doping offences is clearly laid out in the ERC Regulations and as such the player is immediately provisionally suspended from all competition.

"Matt has been removed from the England Elite Player Squad and will not travel to the training camp in Portugal on Sunday or be involved in the squad until the resolution of the case when a further decision on his inclusion in the England squad will be made.

"A decision on a replacement for Matt in the EPS squad is being considered by England manager Martin Johnson and an announcement will be made in due course."

From - Eurosport

 

[MunsterMan]

Isn't the two year ban for performance enhancing drugs? What are the rules about non-performance enhancing drugs? :huh:

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 20 2009, 06:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Isn't the two year ban for performance enhancing drugs? What are the rules about non-performance enhancing drugs? :huh:[/b]

From IRB Anti Doping regulations

"21.22.3 Where a Player or other Person can establish how a Specified Substance entered his body or came into his possession and that such Specified Substance was not intended to enhance the Player’s sport performance or mask the Use of a performance-enhancing substance, the period of Ineligibility found in Regulation 21.22.1 shall be replaced with the following:

First violation: At a minimum, a reprimand and no period of Ineligibility from the Game, and at a
maximum, two (2) years of Ineligibility.

To justify any elimination or reduction, the Player or other Person must produce corroborating evidence in
addition to his word which establishes to the comfortable satisfaction of the hearing panel the absence of intent to enhance sport performance or mask the Use of a performance enhancing substance. The Player’s or other
Person’s degree of fault shall be the criterion considered in assessing any reduction of the period of Ineligibility."

So if it is true that it wasn't a performance enhancing drug, and as he is / was an EPS member I anticipate he can expect a reprimand along with an RFU funded course of counselling and return in time for the 6N.

 

[danny]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Jan 20 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

If true, serves him right. Bloody idiot.


In other news, England now have NO tightheads.[/b]

There was only one before this news.......Vickery.
If its coke hes a pratt. Its good fun but not if you are a sortsman.

 

[SmokeyMonkey]

Can we have our points back?

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danny @ Jan 20 2009, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Jan 20 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If true, serves him right. Bloody idiot.


In other news, England now have NO tightheads.[/b]

There was only one before this news.......Vickery.[/b][/quote]

Things have changed a lot since he left Gloucester. His klnowledge of how to play rugby for a start... Maybe he'd recapture the glory if he attempted to play instead of going down the Corry/Dayglo/Easter/Borthwick route of winding up opposition players he'd become useful again. However, he won't.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

If its coke hes a pratt. Its good fun but not if you are a sortsman.[/b]

Anyone who condones (especially cocaine) the use of drugs is a prat. Sportsman or otherwise.

 

[danny]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Jan 20 2009, 06:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danny @ Jan 20 2009, 06:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Jan 20 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If true, serves him right. Bloody idiot.


In other news, England now have NO tightheads.[/b]

There was only one before this news.......Vickery.[/b][/quote]

Things have changed a lot since he left Gloucester. His klnowledge of how to play rugby for a start... Maybe he'd recapture the glory if he attempted to play instead of going down the Corry/Dayglo/Easter/Borthwick route of winding up opposition players he'd become useful again. However, he won't.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

If its coke hes a pratt. Its good fun but not if you are a sortsman.[/b]

Anyone who condones (especially cocaine) the use of drugs is a prat. Sportsman or otherwise.
[/b][/quote]
All things in moderation Teh. You are starting to sound like Mary Whitehouse.

 

[Bullitt]

And saying it's fun makes you sound like Amy Winehouse.

 

[Prestwick]

Now this is just how I am reading this but from what An Tarbh has quoted from Eurosport, it seems that Stevens is:

1) Tacitly admitting that he is guilty as charged.
2) That this may be a recreational drug such as cannabis or maybe even cocaine.

Did anyone else see it that way?

If the two points are correct then...words fail me. This man could have been competing for a place in the starting Lions XV in South Africa but by doing this, he's not only let down his club, his country and his Lions team but he has also brought those very same teams and the sport of Rugby Union into disrepute.

If this is confirmed and he is guilty, throw the book at him for he will get no sympathy from me.

 

[MunsterMan]

But if it is recreational drugs I don't think there is a book to throw at him, apart from maybe criminal charges for possession. As Teh Mite posted above, performance enhancing = possible 2 year ban. Recreational = could play a part in the 6N.

 

[Bullitt]

They did, rightly so, for Wendall Sailor.

 

[Prestwick]

In which case he should be excluded.

Munsterman, would you be happy with Geechs picking Stevens ahead of someone else for the Lions tour on the basis of this evidence? I wouldn't.