Daley Williams sacked by Keighley over four-year doping ban
Thursday 29 October 2015 12:24, UK
Keighley have sacked centre Daley Williams after he was given a four-year ban for a doping violation.
The 29-year-old, who was in his second spell with the League 1 club after beginning his career at Salford, tested positive for steroids - drostanolone and a metabolite of stanozolol - following an out-of-competition test in March, on the eve of the 2015 season.
Williams, who made 13 appearances for the Cougars during their relegation from the Championship in 2014, told UK Anti-Doping he did not intentionally take the banned substances but he was given the maximum punishment as he failed to prove his case.
The player admitted to a UKAD official that he took a supplement from an un-named third party at a Halifax gym after being concerned over weight loss after breaking his jaw in November 2014.
In a statement, Keighley said: "We remain firm in our stance against this sort of behaviour and Daley has been released with immediate effect."
UKAD chief executive Nicole Sapstead said: "This case highlights the worrying trend of young men using steroids either to improve their performance on the pitch or for cosmetic reasons.
"Not only are these young men cheating their opposition and their team-mates, but they are also cheating themselves. They either do not know, or in some cases choose to ignore, the danger they are putting themselves in by continuing to abuse these substances.
"UKAD continues to focus on the source of the problem by working with law enforcement to strangle the supply of these substances. We also continue to work closely with the Rugby Football League to provide players with access to anti-doping education so they can make the right choices to protect their career and their health."
