Drug ban for rugby league player

Updated 13.47 Thu Mar 01 2007
Keywords: David Allen, drugs in sport, Rugby League

Former Wigan and Widnes player David Allen has been handed a two-year ban by the Rugby Football League after failing a drugs test.

The 21-year-old back row forward was found guilty of having Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, in his system after providing a urine sample last season.

"We do not condone drug-taking, whether performance-enhancing or recreational" - Widnes statement

The suspension has been back-dated to November 2006.

Allen played for Wigan from 2003-05 before joining Widnes and was in the Vikings team that lost 29-16 to Hull KR in the promotion-deciding National League One Grand Final in October.

His contract expired at the end of the 2006 season and he was not offered a new one.

In a statement, Widnes said: "We do not condone drug-taking, whether performance-enhancing or recreational, and we are taking steps to ensure that the players and coaching staff are fully aware of the penalties, both legal and physical, that such actions can bring."

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