A Workington Town player, banned for 18 months following anti-doping rule violations, has hit out at the process and the stress that he’s been put under.
A sample given by prop forward Tom Curwen following an in-competition test had tested positive for amphetamine.
The UK Anti-Doping Organisation notified Curwen that he may have committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations.
In response, Curwen provided evidence to show that he suffers from ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – and used the substances to treat his condition.
The former Seaton amateur admitted the violation but submitted that it was through no significant fault or negligence and the matter went to a National Anti-Doping Panel tribunal.
The tribunal concluded that, while the violations were not intentional, he was at fault and acted negligently in circumstances where he failed to take steps to investigate whether his medication included a prohibited substance or to obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption prior to taking it.
The outcome was a ban from all sport for 18 months but because of the length of time over the case and the tribunal hearing he will be able to resume in October.
The player took to social media to present his side of the story with the ban deemed to have started on April 6 2023 and will end on October 5 2024.
He wrote: “The past year I’ve been through with UK Anti-Doping is an absolute joke!
“They have banned me from all sport for taking prescribed medication for my ADHD.
“I was diagnosed in 2022 when on a break from rugby and when I resigned for Town I was still trialling medication through my psychiatrist.
“In the first league game of the season away at London Skolars in Feb 23 I was tested (urine sample) after the match. I had my medication with me as we stayed the night before. I showed the team doing the test my medication, who said, ‘Just write it down’ No mention of needing a TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption) in place. I got tested again at training shortly after (blood and urine).
“In April 23 UKAD contacted me to say I was banned from sport for four years as I had tested positive for amphetamine. I knew that this must have been my medication (although I wasn’t aware it contained amphetamine) so I thought that it would all be sorted as soon as I sent them evidence of needing to take it from my GP and Psychiatrist.
“I was told to apply for a Retroactive TUE. I provided all the information they requested including a timeline of when I first packed in for Town, when I was diagnosed with ADHD, when I started the meds and when I re-signed for Town again.
“This was rejected as they said I had in-person training in 2017 around TUEs, which I was never going to remember five years later when it didn’t apply to me at the time. Instead. I have had constant emails from UKAD questioning my diagnosis and even questioning the qualifications of my psychiatrist.
“They then decided to change their mind and drop the ban from four years to two years as they said they understood that this wasn’t intentional, and they accept my medication is not performance enhancing.
“I wasn’t accepting this so decided to get legal advice and got a solicitor to take UKAD to a hearing. Along with support from the Players Union (Gareth Carvell) and the director of well being and welfare Steve McCormack, who both said I will receive a ban of some sort as UKAD are black and white.
“UKAD didn’t get the two years they wanted at the hearing, and I received a ban for 18 months back dated until April 2023, meaning I’m eligible to play again in October this year.
“The publication UKAD have made doesn’t say that my medication is prescribed, or that I take it daily – proven by testing positive in and out of competition a couple weeks apart – or that we made sure they didn’t get the result they wanted at the hearing.
“I kept it quiet until I knew I was getting a ban of some sort. Quite a few people know now but I want this to be seen by as many people as possible. Just so people realise how pathetic UKAD are.
“I have done wrong by not having a TUE in place but there has got to be some common sense about it. My broken foot had a silver lining in that people weren’t asking why I wasn’t playing.
“I made a genuine error through lack of knowledge, which everybody in the world will have done at some point. I don’t get what they are gaining from banning me, why wouldn’t I have applied for a TUE if I knew it’s a paperwork exercise??
“It’s not like I cheated as they have made clear, its for not following process. I didn’t think for one-minute a prescribed medication that calms me down would require an exemption.
“Can’t thank Lauren Curwen and my solicitor enough who have helped me massively driving the ban down to 18 months from four years. I’ve had very little to do with the matter for months, due to losing my head with them and doing myself no favours speaking my mind.
“Also Workington Town Rugby League Football Club have supported me through it, right up until now where they are still backing me, when a club would usually avoid speaking out against the governing body.”
