Former Workington Town forward Jamie Acton retired three years ago – but he has just been banned from playing for two years!
Incredibly he has had the ban backdated from his last season in the sport when he was with Leigh Centurions.
London-born Acton, 29, played 23 games for Town in the 2013 season but the bulk of his rugby has been with Leigh – for who whom he played 95 times from 2014 to 2018.
Acton has gone public before on the problems he’s had in the past and this time used an Instagram video to reveal the bizarre ban.
He says it followed a video he posted last year highlighting his personal drug problem and whet he sees as a massive drugs problem in rugby league.
He said: “My old samples were retested using new technology and a sample from 2015 has been flagged as positive for GHRP6 so I’m being banned for two years.
“It’s not that relevant when you’re already three years retired, but I think it’s a big problem that the rugby football league wish to silence those raising awareness about the drug problems within the sport, rather than encourage such discussions which I believe could potentially really help current and future players.
“I wholly accept I was in the wrong to take these drugs and have no problem with accepting my ‘punishment’, however the way in which this has come about is concerning
“Let’s stop brushing drugs problems under the carpet, whether that be in sport or just general life. The more open and honest we can be about the subject, the better. That’s my opinion anyway.”
Acton, a powerful prop forward, revealed last year to Serious About Rugby League that: “I’ve suffered with anxiety and ADHD and I’m also on the autistic spectrum.
“During my rugby career I completely brushed all that under the carpet, I ignored the problems and to try and combat them. I used rugby as a vehicle to eliminate my demons.
“Regarding mental health and player welfare there is a massive area of improvement that can be made.
“I think this was highlighted by their response to me, trying to demonise it, and the lengths they’ll go to not to reveal the situation, which is rugby league players take drugs.”
