Scottish rugby player receives three year ban

A Scottish Rugby Union player has been banned from all sport for a period of three years following a first Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) after he tested positive for banned substances.

Douglas Steele, a flyhalf at Marr RFC, failed a urine sample test following a visit to a training session at the club.

A Scottish Rugby Union statement reads: “On 27 January 2022, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected an Out-of-Competition urine Sample from Mr Steele at a Marr Rugby Football Club training session. Analysis of Mr Steele’s Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for a metabolite of dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT) and metabolites of oxandrolone.”

DHCMT is also known as Turinabol, while oxandrolone is commonly sold as Anavar and both are anabolic agents.

“DHCMT and oxandrolone are both anabolic agents, listed under S1.1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2022 Prohibited List. Both of these non-Specified Prohibited Substances are banned at all times.

“On 12 May 2022, UKAD notified Mr Steele of the AAFs and issued him with a Provisional Suspension from sport.”

In August of this year UKAD charged Steele for the presence and use of prohibited substances. He admitted to using the substances less than 20 days after receiving the charge letter,and accepted the four year ban, which was reduced to three years.

“UKAD issued Mr Steele with a three-year ban, which is deemed to have commenced on 12 May 2022 and will expire at midnight on 11 May 2025.

Speaking on the case, UKAD Director of Operations, Pat Myhill said: “Players who use anabolic agents to improve their performance, or who do not follow the principles of strict liability in clean sport, are letting the side down. Anabolic agents such as these are prohibited in sport at all times, and can have serious health risks for the athletes taking them.”

Scottish Rugby’s Chief Medical Officer Dr James Robson MBE said: “We operate a zero-tolerance policy for any prohibited substances, which have no place in our sport. In many cases they have a detrimental effect on the health of the individual and as such we welcome today’s ban which can act as a deterrent to others who may be tempted to take them.

“We run a comprehensive education programme and will not hesitate to implement our intelligence-led approach to target those who we suspect may be using prohibited substances at any level of the game.”