CAREER HANGS IN THE BALANCE
Castleford star Hardaker tests positive for cocaine
THE career of Castleford Tigers full-back Zak Hardaker is in jeopardy after the England star tested positive for cocaine and was left facing a minimum twoyear ban.
The 2015 Man of Steel is the third Super League player to test positive for the drug in the last three months and, as expected, was overlooked when England coach Wayne Bennett announced his 24-man World Cup squad yesterday.
In a statement made via his West Yorkshire club, Hardaker apologised for his “enormous error of judgment”, but that is likely to ring hollow with Castleford’s fans who saw their side struggle badly without their absent star in Saturday’s 24-6 Grand Final loss to his former side Leeds Rhinos.
He failed a test after the Tigers’ previous game against Leeds on September 8 and has been provisionally suspended by the Rugby Football League.
It remains unclear whether Castleford – who paid Rhinos £150,000 for the player on a fourand-half year deal only in June – will stand by him as Wigan Warriors did when Great Britain star Gareth Hock tested positive for the same substance in 2009.
Hardaker, for all his talent, has already had a chequered past on and off the field and his teammates and club officials have been badly let down by this latest indiscretion.
Only last month he chatted with Prince Harry as His Royal Highness met the England squad and a week ago Hardaker was in the running for Man of Steel again following his fine debut campaign at Wheldon Road.
But he joins another Castleford Man of Steel winner, Rangi Chase, who tested positive for using cocaine after Widnes Vikings’ league game against Wakefield on July 14 and, along with Trinity’s Adam Walker, was then suspended by his club.
All three players, who have the right to ask for a B sample to be tested, are still awaiting the outcome of investigations by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD). Walker was subsequently withdrawn from Scotland’s World Cup squad.
Hardaker, 25, was dropped for Castleford’s maiden Grand Final appearance for what the Tigers said was a breach of club rules and the RFL confirmed yesterday he had tested positive for a banned substance. He said: “I would like to apologise to my Castleford Tigers team-mates, the staff and all fans for my enormous error of judgment.
“I was given an opportunity by this great club and in what has been one of the most important weeks in its history, I have let everyone at the club down. For that, I truly apologise.
“Finally, I would like to make it clear that in no way did I, nor would I, ever take a substance with the intention of enhancing my performance.”
Castleford say they were informed of Hardaker’s failed drugs test at 10am last Thursday and suspended the player immediately. They say official notification was delivered on Friday and, following discussions with the player on Sunday, the decision was taken to announce the result of the test yesterday.
An RFL spokesperson said: “The RFL can confirm Zak Hardaker is provisionally suspended from all competition after it received notification from UK Anti-Doping that he had tested positive for a banned substance following a Super 8s game between Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos on September 8, 2017.”