Ninth rugby player gets ban for drugs offences
SPICE Girls have announced dates for their comeback stadium tour – but Welsh fans aren’t best pleased.
The band have finally released the details in a video message on their new Twitter account after months of rumours and speculation.
Ginger Spice Geri Horner, Sporty Spice Mel C, Baby Spice Emma Bunton and Scary Spice Mel B will reunite for the first time in a decade. ANOTHER Principality Welsh Premiership player has been banned from rugby after admitting doping offences.
Bargoed RFC’s Dan Matthews tested positive for cocaine following a match with Cross Keys at Pandy Park on March 24 this year.
Matthews, who was an unused substitute, claimed he ingested the drug inadvertently by biting his nails, after having come into contact with a cocaine user through his job as a doorman on the evening of March 22 and in the early hours of March 23.
The 30-year-old told anti-doping officers his use of cocaine was out of competition – the presence of cocaine is prohibited in-competition only.
UKAD accepted Matthews’ explanation Posh Spice Victoria Beckham will not be joining them on the tour.
However, unless there’s a a second batch of dates announced, it looks like the band won’t be heading to Wales as part of their massive tour, with the nearest show taking place in Ashton Gate in Bristol on Monday, June 10.
It has also been revealed that Jess Glynne will be supporting the band. and deemed his use of the drug was non-intentional.
The official decision of UKAD said: “It could not be determined whether inadvertent use of cocaine as described by Mr Matthews was more likely than recreational use of a larger dose of cocaine at an earlier point in time than suggested by him.”
Matthews’ admission and UKAD acceptance of it being non-intentional resulted in him being suspended from all sport for only two years.
UKAD’s director of operations Pat Myhill said: “Regardless of whether an athlete is deliberately seeking to gain an unfair sporting advantage or not, all athletes must take sole responsibility for what enters their system. It is important all athletes understand the concept of strict liability and, even if a substance is only banned in-competition, they must be aware that ingesting such substances out-of-competition could still lead to a ban as it may
In September, Take That announced their Greatest Hits tour but there wasn’t a Welsh date. However, days later they revealed they will be playing Cardiff but fans who had bought tickets for other UK dates weren’t happy.
Spice Girls fans took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
Zoe Richards wrote: “No Cardiff date? Very disappointed” remain in their system.”
Matthews’ ban ends at midnight on March 23, 2020.
It comes on the heels of RGC 1404 captain Maredydd Francis being suspended for four years for taking a “cocktail of drugs”.
Lock forward Francis, 24, who captained RGC to WRU National Cup glory at the Principality Stadium last year, admitted the charges and will not be able to play again until March 2022.
The substances found in his system included nandrolone and testosterone.
Matthews’ ban takes the number of Welsh players currently banned to nine.
Fourteen players in England are currently suspended and two in Scotland.
Of the 72 people serving bans for doping across all sports in the UK, 24 of them are from rugby union and 13 from rugby league.
Sian Davies said: “What about the Prinicipality Stadium though?!”
Nicola Howe tweeted: “Thought there would be more dates and venues, no Cardiff date?”
Nikke Duplessis said: “@spicegirls are you gonna pull a @takethat and announce a Cardiff show after I’ve already spend money getting a ticket for somewhere else? Cos I don’t need that stress in my life”