Pope banned after second breach of drugs rules

Sale Sharks prop Jake Pope has been given a six-month ban for becoming the first player to break the sport’s rules on recreational drugs twice, the Rugby Football Union has announced.

The 21-year-old, a member of England’s Under-20 team in 2017, received a fixed fine of £1,000 later that year when he tested positive for cocaine in an out-of-competition test.

Under the RFU’S illicit drugs programme, firsttime offences are not made public, but Pope then tested positive for cannabis and cocaine last November.

He quickly admitted the violation and his case was dealt with by an independent disciplinary panel on 11 February. His ban started on 4 December, the date of his provisional suspension and runs until 4 June.

Pope could have been given a 12-month ban but the three-man panel – leading sports lawyer Jeremy Summer, Arsenal and British Lions team doctor Dr Gary O’driscoll and former England and Wasps player Dr Tom Rees – decided to give himthemaximumallowed reduction of 50 per cent because of his cooperation and speedy confession. He was also fined another £1,000.

In a statement, the governing body’s anti-doping and illicit drugs programme manager Stephen Watkins said: “The purpose of the illicit drugs policy is primarily to protect the health and welfare of players. This means that, in the first instance, the problem can be dealt with as a confidential health-related issue.

“This is the first time we have had a second offence since the policy was established in 2010. It should send a strong deterrent message to all players that the RFU takes the misuse of substances seriously.”

Pope, who has not made any first-team appearances for Sale this season, had hoped that his second violation could be kept confidential, too, but was told by the panel the rules did not allow that. The panel’s written judgment added: “The publication of this decision is clearly desirable from the perspective of both education and ongoing deterrence.”