Two Aviva Premiership Rugby Players Test Positive For Cocaine Use

Two English Premiership players tested positive for recreational drug use last season, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has confirmed.

The unnamed players returned samples showing out-of-competition cocaine use.

However, the latest RFU annual anti-doping report revealed there were only four violations for performance enhancing drugs, all at amateur level.

“It’s an extremely low number of positive cases,” said RFU anti-doping manager Stephen Watkins.

“That’s not to say it’s not there, but if you compare those stats with wider general society, it’s an incredibly low number of players who have been detected.”

The RFU insists it is “doing everything it can” to detect doping in the professional game.

Although only around a third of top-flight players were tested as part of the RFU programme, Watkins is confident in the process.

“We have tested a great deal in the Premiership consistently for over 10 years, with no violations,” he said.

“In terms of the amateur game, there’s certainly work to be done in terms of education, especially in terms of the lower levels.”

Whether or not the identity of the two players will be released, remains to be seen.

[BBC]