English schoolboy banned for doping
English schoolboy Jonathon Spelman has been suspended for 21 months for an anti-doping violation after admitting to taking a number of prohibited substances.
The 17-year-old appeared before an independent disciplinary tribunal on March 26 and admitted to taking in testosterone, drostanolone (both anabolic steroids), growth hormone (GHRP6), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), clomid (clomiphene) and nolvadex (tamoxifen) in October, November and December 2011.
The panel of Christopher Quinlan QC (chair), Dr Julian Morris and Gerard McEvilly suspended him from January 18 (the day he was provisionally suspended by the RFU) to October 18, 2013. He is free to play again on October 19, 2013.
Quinlan said: “In fixing the appropriate period of suspension the tribunal had regard to all the relevant matters advanced during the course of the hearing, including the player’s youth, immaturity and admissions. It therefore reduced by three months the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility of two years and imposed a period of ineligibility (suspension) of 21 months.”
An appeal has been lodged and will be heard at a date to be confirmed.
