It’d be interesting to see how many people have been banned from sport for doing recreational drugs prior to the Gareth Hock ban. The most famous one of recent years was Michael Phelps whose known for winning many gold medals at the last Olympics.

Deterrents have been in place for years and I doubt none will stop a sport star from going downhill if he makes the wrong choices.

I still think that three months is more than enough to change someone who wants to change. The second time they should be a lengthy ban IMO. Although I am warming to nick hkr’s idea...

I'll just take his word for it!

No matter what the punishments are some people will always do thing (people still commit murder in places where the death penalty is in place!).

I don't know what help and support is in place for people who have been banned but I would hope that is ongoing with regular testing. Perhaps an inital 12 months ban and then regular testing and after a set period of time 'clean' they are allowed to return.

I do have doubts that, if your talking about cracking an addiction 3 months would be long enough for some people.

Of course none of this is in the control of the RFL anyway as they have to go along with the World Doping Agency.

Would he?? I know persistant users caught numerous times still walking the street, free as a bird.

The ban needs to be long enough to act as a deterrent. 1 yr for me (If the player does community acrtvity and rehab if appropriate). Life time ban for a 2nd offence.

Unless it's because you ate contaminated meat.

i believe cocaine can be used to mask the presence of other drugs, hence its a banned substance. that and as you said its illegal.

people are having a field day with pro cycling today because contador had a 20 billionth of a gram (yes thats the right figure) of a substance in his blood which means cycling must still be full of druggies. no other sport would even notice that amount. all sports should stick to the WADA bans and that means 2 years for scum like hock

just my opinion, but since it was announced he was banned, it doesn't seem that he's had his ties cut with the wigan club, it seemed like it took several months for them to announce formally that he was no longer employed by the club(and several repeated threads on the cherry n white board asking for an announcement) and it seems to be common knowledge on their that they've already courted him for a return and are keeping an eye on him during his abscence, aside from him not playing, it doesn't seem like he's been punished, or removed from the club.

everybody deserves a 2nd chance.he didnt commit murder and everybody makes mistakes.if everyone was kicked out of their chosen career for something they did in their recreational time(and everybody has done something whether theyve been caught or not),how many people who post on here can say they would not have had to change their lives had they been subject to such strict rules.and yes i know you can be sacked for out of work misdemeaners but you can usually get a job in your chosen profession afterwards.

He will get a second chance. When he has served his ban he is free to play again.

He took the risk though, he knew the consequences and that if he was caught was that he would get banned.

i just think its a bit harsh for a recreational misdemeaner

After their 2008 World cup campaign no one could accuse any England players of taking performance enhancing drugs.

In a way it's a pity they didn't.

They were truly shocking.




Unless it was Keith Senior and Viagra

yer he can come bk june 23rd

IIRC from the pictures of that rank bint he went with no wonder he had to take viagra, she was enough to make it bend inwards.

The ban length is dictated by WADA not the RFL. They bought into the system which is necessary to tap into government funds etc so their hands are tied.