Ben Johnson was allowed back after failing a drugs test for PEDs. It was only after he failed a second test that he was banned for life.

Lance Armstrong was well known as a cheat during his entire cycling career, especially during his TdF victories. There's no evidence for this, but it is understood that UCI looked the other way, due to his prestige bringing in fans.

The three rugby players you mentioned all tested positive for recreational drugs and not PEDs. You cannot compare these, since they are complete separate entities.

The IAAF did used to issue lifetime bans, but these were rescinded when they went to the Court of European rights, who overturned them.

Lifetime bans do not work. You are essentially calling for a life sentence for one indiscretion, which is far too harsh. Where humans are, bad decisions will be made.

I assure you sir I am very much awake, old perhaps, rude never.
As you are obviously in favour of snorting coke or other such chemicals which are totally alien to me, as I was in danger of a good hiding if I was caught smoking cinnamon sticks as a nipper.

Your assumption that most top athletes are on something they shouldn’t be, is alarming, could you perhaps, I will make it simple, name those who are not.

There’s no way you could give a life ban for recreational drug use. We may as well say ban alcohol at the same time in that case and ban lads who have a drink as well.

Performance enhancing drugs is a different matter.

Thank you Jeff a much more reasoned and courteous response to my post, but I will stick to my guns, as memories fade, the likes of Billy Boston, Johnny Whitley, Eric Ashton, Alex Murphy, as good if not better than any around, tourists and true greats, never a sniff of wacky backy, nor the white powder, or any such drug, placed in any orifice, was needed.

Drugs cheats out, no excuses.

Pie Eyed, your opinion is accepted and welcome, as I said as an owld git, I will state once again, drugs are not acceptable, whichever mode of chemical is being taken.

Hello Nicky Kiss, please forgive my ignorance, is Cocain not deemed performance enhancing? I will be very surprised if it isn’t, as on the odd occasion I’ve had it at the dentist, I sit there laughing as he extracts my teeth.

I doubt you’d want to play on it regardless of what they’re labelling it as. There is no way cocaine use should sit in the same disciplinary bracket as somebody abusing steroids for example. To say it should just be a life ban for any drug use would be ridiculous.

I’m all for bans for drug use but the punishment has to fit the crime. We all know these lads aren't trying to get any playing advantage out iof cocaine use but clearly it’s still not right. If a player takes drugs to try and gain an advantage on the field then that’s pure cheating and they deserve everything they get.

We are in the minority with this view and I suspect our ages and the environments that we were raised in drives our stance and thoughts.
Personally I find people accepting the use of class 1 drugs as ok somewhat sad. What if a player was caught using another class 1 drug such as heroin would people then say that this was also acceptable??
Although I know I am in the minority it wont change my views.

If a rugby league player was on heroin I’d be looking to offer him help bigtime before even moving on to thinking about bans. It’s chalk and cheese to what cocaine will do to a person.

I’m anti drugs of any kind when it comes to myself. I’m 34 and didn’t even try a cigerette until my mid twenties and haven’t even considered taking anything stronger then a paracetamol but I understand that some people do. If they do it for some sort of high away from the field and not to try and cheat then whilst I say ‘more fool them’, I do not think they should be punished in the same way as a drugs cheat.

Maybe time to put us out to grass “Itchy Arsenal”. The green variety.

As I’m obviously in favour of snorting coke? Are you high?