Former Whitehaven captain Marc Shackley has been banned from all sport for four years for the use of a prohibited substance, despite retiring from Rugby League last year.
Shackley was tested by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) in September last year and clenbuterol, a banned anabolic agent used to gain muscle and burn fat, was found in his urine sample.
He admitted using a fat burner which contained the substance to assist with weight loss ahead of upcoming knee surgery but claimed that he had already retired from the sport, and that the use of the banned substance was unintentional.
Shackley – who also represented Workington Town in his career – played his final match the month before the test, but his retirement was only publicly confirmed a week after the date of the test and had not been made official at the time.
Therefore UKAD had jurisdiction in the matter, and as the independent National Anti-Doping Panel found Shackley could not prove the use was not intentional, he has been given a four-year ban which will expire in October 2025.
“This is a case which reinforces the responsibility of players to take the steps to reduce the risk of failing a doping violation by checking their supplements,” said Robert Hicks, the RFL’s director of legal and operations.
“It also highlights the issue of their responsibility for ensuring the necessary steps are taken to confirm retirement from the sport.
“The RFL Operational Rules are there to protect the sport, athletes, and all to ensure that the sport remains clean.”
