Trio hit with drugs ban

Three more New Zealand rugby players have been banned for anti-doping offences.

Brandyn Laursen, Tukiterangi Raimona and Lionel Skipwith were all banned for two years after charges were brought by Drug Free Sport New Zealand.

Medsafe started an investigation into the website, Clenbuterol New Zealand, which has netted up to 100 New Zealand athletes for drug offences.

The three players are banned from all sport until the ban is complete.

Laursen, a former Heartland Championship player, used or attempted to use the anabolic agent Clenbuterol in 2014 and 2015. He admitted the violations.

Because of his early admission of guilt, Laursen was banned for just two years, backdated to June 4, 2017.

Raimona had previous education on banned substances from Drug Free Sport NZ before he was found to have used, possessed or attempted to use dianabol in 2015.

He believed he was no longer bound by anti-doping regulations because he had stopped playing rugby in 2014, following an injury.

Because he ultimately returned to rugby, he was found to have broken anti-doping rules retrospectively. He was banned for two years, backdated to May 28, 2017.

Skipwith said he was unaware that Clenbuterol was banned, having been a club level player, when he took the substance in 2015.

As a result, he was banned for two years, backdated to September 26, 2017.