RUGBY: England prop Matt Stevens has revealed he has failed a drugs test. The 26-year-old, who declined to name the substance he had tested positive for, has been suspended from all competition and removed from the England Elite Player Squad.
The Bath player had been due to fly to Portugal with the England team on Sunday as they prepare for this season's Six Nations Championship.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports News, Stevens said: “I was tested for a prohibited substance but it’s not performance enhancing, so you can take what you want from that.
“It’s pretty distressing talking about this. When you think about how much time people have put into my career and I have thrown it away. Like any drug problem you don’t know it’s happening and then it mounts up and before you know it you have a problem and an illness.”
A statement from Bath read: “Bath Rugby has been made aware of the initial positive test given by Matt Stevens following the Heineken Cup match against Glasgow Warriors in December.
“The procedure for potential doping offences is clearly laid out in both the player’s contract and the European Rugby Cup Regulations. The player is immediately suspended from competition and has been suspended by Bath Rugby until the case is resolved.”
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