Rugby League official allegedly ‘supplied drugs to players’

UK Anti-Doping have launched an investigation into allegations that a senior Rugby Football League official has been involved in supplying recreational drugs to players.

Telegraph Sport has learned that UKAD began making enquiries last month after the RFL informed the doping enforcement agency that they were investigating allegations they had received about a member of their own staff.

UKAD are in the process of collecting evidence after being passed allegations involving the supply of drugs to up to six players.

The RFL official is alleged to have supplied a range of individuals with a strong connection to the sport including ex-professionals and semi-professionals, as well as grass-roots players and coaches.

The allegations are understood to have come from a whistleblower who accused the RFL official of buying cocaine for personal use and arranging to sell the drug on to players.

The RFL passed details of the allegations to UKAD because they involved an individual working in a professional sporting environment.

Rugby league has attracted considerable negative publicity in recent years owing to drug-taking. Former Bradford Bulls winger David Foggin-Johnston was given a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine last summer, following similar bans given to England internationals Zak Hardaker and Rangi Chase.

In addition to Foggin-Johnston there are seven rugby league players serving UKAD bans for taking performance-enhancing drugs, but the view of many in the sport appears to be that recreational drugs are a far bigger problem.

Club owners have privately conceded that social drug use is a growing problem, with former Leigh Centurions prop Jamie Acton claiming it was endemic after he was banned following a positive cocaine test two years ago.

“You’re probably abnormal in the rugby league world if you haven’t taken drugs at some point, whether that is socially or performance‑enhancing,” Acton said.

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