Former NRL superstar James Maloney 'failed drugs test while playing in France and has been banned from taking the field'

[josie andrews]

Maloney allegedly failed a drugs test after a game for his French footy team.

The two-time NRL premiership winner has not played league since March 19

Report said his B sample has not yet been tested but he has been banned

Ex-NRL star James Maloney has reportedly failed a routine drug test while playing rugby league in France.

The two-time premiership winner, 35, allegedly returned a positive result to a test after a game for FC Lezignan XIII in France's Elite One Championship, according to French newspaper L'Independant.

Maloney's B sample has not yet been tested and his case is yet to be investigated by France's anti-doping agency, the report said.

The former NSW State of Origin and Kangaroos representative hasn't played since March 19.

Maloney left Australia to play for French Super League side Catalans Dragons in 2020 after having a stellar career in the NRL.

He starred for the Storm, Warriors, Roosters, Sharks and Panthers from 2009 to 2019, winning the 2013 premiership with the Tricolours and the 2016 title with Cronulla.

Maloney clocked up a total of 247 NRL games and helped drive Penrith's climb back up the table in his final two years in the competition.

After playing 30 games with the Dragons, including their Super League grand final defeat to St Helens last year, he announced his retirement from top-flight rugby league and signed with FC Lezignan, making his debut for them in December 2021.

In February 2021 it was reported that Maloney allegedly spammed his Catalans teammate Israel Folau with gay pornography after Folau had his contract with Rugby Australia terminated in a furore over homophobic social media posts.

Maloney quickly earned the nickname 'Jimmy the joker' when he joined the Dragons and joked about struggling with the local language.

'My wife and I went to the pharmacy to pick up a cold and flu remedy and I think we ended up with a packet of condoms, which is a bit late for us with four kids,' he told local media.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nrl/a ... -test.html