Rugby League player David Foggin-Johnston has received a two-year ban from sport following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Presence and Use of cocaine.
Mr Foggin-Johnston was tested In-Competition by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) on 27 August 2023. On analysis, the player’s Sample tested positive for cocaine and its Metabolite benzoylecgonine. Cocaine is a non-Specified Substance that is prohibited In-Competition only.
UKAD notified Mr Foggin-Johnston that he may have committed ADRVs for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance and provisionally suspended him. The player responded to admit the ADRVs but asserted that his Use of cocaine occurred Out-of-Competition.
Mr Foggin-Johnston was charged by UKAD with both ADRVs. Having consulted a scientific expert, UKAD asserted that Mr Foggin-Johnston’s Use of cocaine occurred In-Competition, which resulted in the case being referred to the independent National Anti-Doping Panel (‘NADP’) to determine the Consequences.
Following the exchange of evidence and submissions, the matter was heard before a tribunal of the NADP on 16 July 2024. The tribunal determined that Mr Foggin-Johnston’s Use of cocaine took place In-Competition. However, the tribunal was satisfied that his Use of cocaine was ‘recreational and unrelated to sport performance’ and therefore, in accordance with the rules applicable to Substances of Abuse, imposed a two-year period of Ineligibility.
Mr Foggin-Johnston is entitled to credit for the time he spent provisionally suspended, so his ban is deemed to have commenced on 11 October 2023 (the date his provisional suspension started) and will expire on 10 October 2025.
