Keighley star Gavin Duffy banned for 15 months for cocaine use

Former Keighley winger Gavin Duffy has been suspended for 15 months after testing positive for the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, after playing in a reserve game for Keighley last July.

Duffy, 28, who was last year awarded a testimonial by the Rugby Football League to recognise his 10 years' services to the League 1 club, was suspended by the Cougars before the end of last season and did not have his contract renewed when it expired in November.

A hearing in London in January heard that Duffy was diagnosed with depression 12 months earlier after his fiancee broke off their engagement and he lost his day job.

After then being sidelined for eight weeks with a shoulder injury in March, the player began drinking heavily and in May relapsed into a state of severe depression following the cardiac arrest and subsequent death of Danny Jones, a close friend he described as a brother.

Duffy told the hearing that experience left him weak and vulnerable and, at a time when his decision-making was impaired, he began taking cocaine after becoming associated with a different social circle.

In a statement issued last month through the Keighley club, Duffy said he admitted he had been in a "bad place" after "heading down the wrong road" but he intends to resume his playing career in Australia when he ban ends on November 19.

"I am now putting this dark period of my life behind me and beginning to concentrate on the future which will result in me playing rugby league following the conclusion of my suspension later in the year," he said.

"I know that once I return to playing in 2017, I will be moving to Australia and continuing my career down under and not with the Keighley Cougars.

"Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Keighley Cougars' supporters for all their loyal support to myself over the past decade."