Rugby Union player Drage banned for four years
Rugby Union player, Max Drage has been suspended from all sport for a period of four years following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV). This case was charged by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the decision was made by an independent tribunal of the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP).
Mr Drage’s urine sample was collected on 16 November 2019, In-Competition at a match between Haywards Heath RFC and Maidstone RFC. The sample returned Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) for several anabolic steroids, and hormone and metabolic modulators.
Pat Myhill, UK Anti-Doping Director of Operations said: “A cocktail of prohibited substances like this is a serious health risk and raises a lot of alarm bells. They are on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List for very good reasons – none of them have any place in sport.
“In contact sports, taking prohibited substances can seriously increase the chances of physical harm to opponents, and we have a responsibility to protect those athletes by removing those who choose to cheat.”
Mr Drage was informed of the ADRV by the RFU in early January 2020, but he did not respond to any communications regarding his charges.
Mr Drage was charged by the RFU for violating World Rugby Regulation 21.2.1. - "Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in a Player’s Sample”. The period of ineligibility to be applied in accordance with World Rugby Regulation 21.10.2.1.1 is four years.
This is effective from the date Mr Drage was provisionally suspended by the RFU, starting on 10 January 2020 and expiring 9 January 2024 inclusive.
Read the full decision below.
Substances
Max Drage’s urine sample returned an AAF for:
Anabolic Androgenic Steroids
- Androsterone;
- Testosterone and least one of the Adiols (5αAdiol and/or 5βAdiol);
- Etiocholanone;
- 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol (5αAdiol); and
- 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol (5αAdiol) and 5β-androstane-3α,17β-diol (5βAdiol)
Hormone and Metabolic Modulators
- Clomiphene and its metabolite hydroxy-methoxy-clomiphene; and
- Anastrozole and its metabolite hydroxy-anastrozole
