Wednesday 18 December 2019 15:35, UK
Hull RUFC’s Stephen Hihetah has been suspended from all sport for four years after he tested positive for banned substances.
The 28-year-old provided a urine sample following a training session in February which contained prohibited substances stanozolol metabolites, metandienone metabolite and tamoxifen metabolite.
Hihetah, who is captain of the Romania 7s rugby union team, has been charged with a breach of World Rugby regulation 21.2.1, "presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in a player's sample."
UK Anti-Doping's chief executive, Nicole Sapstead said: "We are seeing an increasing number of instances where an athlete falls foul of anti-doping regulations, claiming contamination with a prohibited substance, of a supplement they have ingested.
"It's important for athletes at all levels to, where possible, take a food-first approach to nutrition and then if they still feel they require supplements, to seek advice from a dietician or medical professional.
"All supplements should be double checked on Informed Sport prior to use, but it's important to note this only provides risk minimisation, it is not a guarantee that the product is free from prohibited substances. If in any doubt, it is simply not worth the risk."