Matt Stevens fails drug test

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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.[/b]

well it was the Daily Mail that said cocaine so I should have said that that comes with a health warning.

From the sounds of the quotes I doubt it is cannabis, especially this one, "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."

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

If true, Stevens is an idiot. A two year ban is the right course of action.

 

[An Tarbh]

well he's confirmed it himself, so it's obviously true.

Stevens interview

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it, of course im not saying its right to take drugs here now!

Hes stupid and has made a mistake!

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it, of course im not saying its right to take drugs here now!

Hes stupid and has made a mistake!
[/b][/quote]

and ordinarily you pay for your mistakes, you don't give him a wrap on the knuckles simply cause he may be the best tighthead option for the Lions. What sort of message would that send to other professionals, oh it's grand now I can do recreational drugs but then admit I've got a problem and then everything should be hunky dory.

Since Sailor got a 2 year ban Stevens should be treated no differently.

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it, of course im not saying its right to take drugs here now!

Hes stupid and has made a mistake!
[/b][/quote]

and ordinarily you pay for your mistakes, you don't give him a wrap on the knuckles simply cause he may be the best tighthead option for the Lions. What sort of message would that send to other professionals, oh it's grand now I can do recreational drugs but then admit I've got a problem and then everything should be hunky dory.

Since Sailor got a 2 year ban Stevens should be treated no differently.
[/b][/quote]

Wow he aint the best tighthead, theres Euan Murray and Adam Jones!

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it.!
[/b][/quote]

In fairness he was caught, this isn't a voluntary declaration of guilt, he failed the test after the Glasgow match in December, so it's not like he had an epiphany and suddenly thought I should come clean and go and get myself some counselling, do you think he'd be doing this is he wasn't randomly tested?

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it.!
[/b][/quote]

In fairness he was caught, this isn't a voluntary declaration of guilt, he failed the test after the Glasgow match in December, so it's not like he had an epiphany and suddenly thought I should come clean and go and get myself some counselling, do you think he'd be doing this is he wasn't randomly tested?
[/b][/quote]

He announced this himself on Sky Sports News, from somewhere ive just read!

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it.!
[/b][/quote]

In fairness he was caught, this isn't a voluntary declaration of guilt, he failed the test after the Glasgow match in December, so it's not like he had an epiphany and suddenly thought I should come clean and go and get myself some counselling, do you think he'd be doing this is he wasn't randomly tested?
[/b][/quote]

He announced this himself on Sky Sports News, from somewhere ive just read!
[/b][/quote]
After failing a post-Glasgow match drugs test.

Looking at Baths Sportnetwork site right now is (as per usual) highly amusing, they're all adiment that he needs love an support for getting caught and he is indeed a victim. I wonder what their reaction would be to, say, Phil Vickery getting caught.

Pathetic.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it, of course im not saying its right to take drugs here now!

Hes stupid and has made a mistake!
[/b][/quote]

and ordinarily you pay for your mistakes, you don't give him a wrap on the knuckles simply cause he may be the best tighthead option for the Lions. What sort of message would that send to other professionals, oh it's grand now I can do recreational drugs but then admit I've got a problem and then everything should be hunky dory.

Since Sailor got a 2 year ban Stevens should be treated no differently.
[/b][/quote]

Wow he aint the best tighthead, theres Euan Murray and Adam Jones!
[/b][/quote]

again I said may be, didn't say anything definitive on the subject. Having said that, how can you stand by your original claims?

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it.!
[/b][/quote]

In fairness he was caught, this isn't a voluntary declaration of guilt, he failed the test after the Glasgow match in December, so it's not like he had an epiphany and suddenly thought I should come clean and go and get myself some counselling, do you think he'd be doing this is he wasn't randomly tested?
[/b][/quote]

He announced this himself on Sky Sports News, from somewhere ive just read!
[/b][/quote]

Yes he gave an interview to Sky Sports News but he failed the test over a month ago, it's not a voluntary admission of guilt.

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it, of course im not saying its right to take drugs here now!

Hes stupid and has made a mistake!
[/b][/quote]

and ordinarily you pay for your mistakes, you don't give him a wrap on the knuckles simply cause he may be the best tighthead option for the Lions. What sort of message would that send to other professionals, oh it's grand now I can do recreational drugs but then admit I've got a problem and then everything should be hunky dory.

Since Sailor got a 2 year ban Stevens should be treated no differently.
[/b][/quote]

Wow he aint the best tighthead, theres Euan Murray and Adam Jones!
[/b][/quote]

again I said may be, didn't say anything definitive on the subject. Having said that, how can you stand by your original claims?
[/b][/quote]

I have seen people make mistakes, heck it happens all the time at the end of the day I reckon he deserves another chance, you may not agree and thats fine!

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I have seen people make mistakes, heck it happens all the time at the end of the day I reckon he deserves another chance, you may not agree and thats fine![/b]

Would you say that about the bloke who's coked off his ***s in the boozer that smashed your face in? Or after seeing a family member start off "using it recreationally" only to end up dead after a few years? I doubt it.

A slap on the wrist just because he's a sportsman is sending out the wrong message to EVERYONE.

Think about it; Kids look up to him. If he gets away with it like that, what does that tell them?

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it, of course im not saying its right to take drugs here now!

Hes stupid and has made a mistake!
[/b][/quote]

and ordinarily you pay for your mistakes, you don't give him a wrap on the knuckles simply cause he may be the best tighthead option for the Lions. What sort of message would that send to other professionals, oh it's grand now I can do recreational drugs but then admit I've got a problem and then everything should be hunky dory.

Since Sailor got a 2 year ban Stevens should be treated no differently.
[/b][/quote]

Wow he aint the best tighthead, theres Euan Murray and Adam Jones!
[/b][/quote]

again I said may be, didn't say anything definitive on the subject. Having said that, how can you stand by your original claims?
[/b][/quote]

I have seen people make mistakes, heck it happens all the time at the end of the day I reckon he deserves another chance, you may not agree and thats fine!
[/b][/quote]

so what if any punishment should he get then?

 

[Hall]

Teh Mite is right, he's a professional sportsman doing a job so many of us would love to do. With that comes certain responsibilities, such as not snorting Columbia's finest.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Jan 20 2009, 07:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have seen people make mistakes, heck it happens all the time at the end of the day I reckon he deserves another chance, you may not agree and thats fine![/b]

Would you say that about the bloke who's coked off his ***s in the boozer that smashed your face in? Or after seeing a family member start off "using it recreationally" only to end up dead after a few years? I doubt it.

A slap on the wrist just because he's a sportsman is sending out the wrong message to EVERYONE.

Think about it; Kids look up to him. If he gets away with it like that, what does that tell them?
[/b][/quote]

add to that what he said himself, he admitted to going to a meeting before he failed the drugs test, so obviously something had been said to him, he admitted he didn't take it seriously as he failed the test after the Glasgow game. So he was given a chance which he didn't take.

 

[getofmeland]

I haven't read the full thing yet, but I am shocked at this, I have met the guy several times, and what a nice fella he is, he was the last person I would of thought of taking drugs, recreational or performance enhancing...

Now I think the evidence needs to be assessed, but he should not escape punishment for what he has done. There are no right reasons to take drugs, I have lost a very good friend because of drugs, so don't condone any use (yes I have tried stuff before but wouldn't use it again).

I have just looked on the Bath website and there is only a statement from the club saying:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Bath Rugby has been made aware of the initial positive test given by Matt Stevens following the Heineken Cup match against Glasgow Warriors in December.

The procedure for potential doping offences is clearly laid out in both the player’s contract and the European Rugby Cup Regulations. The player is immediately suspended from competition and has been suspended by Bath Rugby until the case is resolved.

Bath Rugby condemns the use or distribution of prohibited substances or methods as defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

Bath Rugby is considering the implications and has no further comment to make at this time.[/b]

Now as a Bath fan, this is a huge blow, for club and country, but feel if the situation has been known for a while maybe he should of been given a leave of absence sooner... but I am not sure why the drugs tests results took so long to come through...

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hall @ Jan 20 2009, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Teh Mite is right, he's a professional sportsman doing a job so many of us would love to do. With that comes certain responsibilities, such as not snorting Columbia's finest.[/b]

I agree, if Matt does turn out to be guilty as charged, he has to realise that this role has tremendous responsibiliy attached to it.

Some may quibble over this (looks northwards warily) but last season Bath scooped the award for the top Guinness Premiership rugby award for services to the community or something like that. The bottom line is though that Bath is placed slap bang in the community of the City of Bath and in its part of the West Country. It is extremely influential to the youngesters who live there and look up to the likes of Matt Bannanaman, Butch James and, yes, Matt Stevens.

Taking recreational drugs is the worst possible thing you could do therefore and undoes all the good work that Bath and its players have acheived in the past few years.

Very sad.

 

[danny]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 20 2009, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Jan 20 2009, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Jan 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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.[/b]

Going to be contraversial here and say if hes available and he is the best then yes he deserves to go on the tour! No matter what he has done! For me it takes some balls to admit it and come out and say it, of course im not saying its right to take drugs here now!

Hes stupid and has made a mistake!
[/b][/quote]

and ordinarily you pay for your mistakes, you don't give him a wrap on the knuckles simply cause he may be the best tighthead option for the Lions. What sort of message would that send to other professionals, oh it's grand now I can do recreational drugs but then admit I've got a problem and then everything should be hunky dory.

Since Sailor got a 2 year ban Stevens should be treated no differently.
[/b][/quote]

Wow he aint the best tighthead, theres Euan Murray and Adam Jones!
[/b][/quote]
Adam Jones LOL!! :lol:

 

[gingergenius]

There's two ways of looking at this:

1) Matt Stevens has been a silly boy. He deserves maybe a 4-5 week suspension for bad behaviour; but keep it lenient because he wasn't using drugs to cheat, and doing coke (or whatever it was) really shouldn't be a problem. Lots of people have. Maybe if they taught him the ethics of where coke comes ie. the problems the production of it causes, that might do him some good... But I don't want to hear people saying he needs 'help' after such a minor incident.

2) Maybe he's done this before; maybe it's part of an ongoing drug problem Stevens has. In which case; same punishment, but he does need help.

Making an example of him is pointless, the sort of people who use Matt Stevens as a role model are clearly not old enough to come into contact with coke anyway; which you won't start doing till you're an adolescent (and hopefully have developed some common sense) because the price of coke is so steep.