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Adam Walker Banned for 20 months after testing positive for cocaine

SCOTLAND prop Adam Walker has been banned for 20 months after testing positive for cocaine while playing for Wakefield Trinity last season. The ex-Hull KR prop had only recently joined the West Yorkshire club from St Helens when he failed the test following their win at Widnes Vikings on July 14 last year.

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/r ... -1-9316101

I can understand players can get depressed, the same as anyone else, but why not get it treated by a doctor instead of using banned substances!

Surely in this day & age, especially with all the publicity about depression, stress & mental illness, there isn’t the stigma that this type of illness had years ago.

It's taken long enough for this official notification to be issued.
He's been suspended 12 months already.

josie andrews wrote:I can understand players can get depressed, the same as anyone else, but why not get it treated by a doctor instead of using banned substances!

Surely in this day & age, especially with all the publicity about depression, stress & mental illness, there isn’t the stigma that this type of illness had years ago.

I think a lot has to do with the company they keep, and some people are simply self destructive and they basically always end up reverting to type

Wigan_forever19​85​ wrote:

josie andrews wrote:I can understand players can get depressed, the same as anyone else, but why not get it treated by a doctor instead of using banned substances!

Surely in this day & age, especially with all the publicity about depression, stress & mental illness, there isn’t the stigma that this type of illness had years ago.

I think a lot has to do with the company they keep, and some people are simply self destructive and they basically always end up reverting to type

You’re probably right.

josie andrews wrote:I can understand players can get depressed, the same as anyone else, but why not get it treated by a doctor instead of using banned substances!

Surely in this day & age, especially with all the publicity about depression, stress & mental illness, there isn’t the stigma that this type of illness had years ago.

cocaine and steriods are used so widely in the UK it really is a pandemic. I find it really sad that anyone feels the need to take anything and i have been around sport a long time. But what makes me laugh is the guys that take drugs just for aesthetics or say they do cocaine at weekends because its cheaper that alcohol !!!

I am a keen pro. Cycling fan so am well aware of the "drug problem" which is mainly of the performance enhancing type Now at the expense of showing my ignorance I have always thought Cocaine was laughingly considered a "social drug" and not a performance enhancing drug. If this is the case then the perpetrators(NB. WW not practitioners) need.help as suggested by Josie. and further I suggest not suspended from the Sport which could have a negative impact on their future well being.

SJ wrote:I am a keen pro. Cycling fan so am well aware of the "drug problem" which is mainly of the performance enhancing type Now at the expense of showing my ignorance I have always thought Cocaine was laughingly considered a "social drug" and not a performance enhancing drug. If this is the case then the perpetrators(NB. WW not practitioners) need.help as suggested by Josie. and further I suggest not suspended from the Sport which could have a negative impact on their future well being.

Possession of a class A drug such as Cocaine is against the law and this can lead to prosecution. I can't see how any sport can implicitly condone an athlete breaking the law because in some circles it's considered a bit trendy to snort coke. Get caught twice and you will be prosecuted.

Being lenient on coke users in sport is the thin end of the wedge. I am not saying lock 'em up but if their ability to carry on playing the sport is not curtailed, where is the deterrent? Curtailing their ability to play sends a message to the wider playing population. Use coke, get banned.

A ban may have a negative impact on their future well being? Well what about the negative impact on those who do a bit of coke because they know if they get caught they can carry on playing regardless? Lack of serious sanctions so no discouragement for them to be users just feeds the drug industry and all the crime that entails.

Yes I hear what you say. Nevertheless why the double jepordy. If it's against the law let the law take its course If it's not performance enhancing the only person being harmed is the drug taker and that is arbitrary My post was simply picking up on Josie's point that the snorting of cocaine could be has the result of an underlining mental condition ie depression etc. It's possible the taking of coke could be used to mask performance enhancing drugs as I've already pointed out I have no idea about the drug only that it's putatively self harming. So my point is if the taking of the drug is of no advantage to the players performance or the teams the Sport should 1) let the law prevail 2) take remedial medical advice/action.My point about the "well being" of the player could in certain circumstances lead to tragic outcomes.
There will inevitably be cumstances where assistance has been offer and refused by the player where suspension is necessary in that the refusal is contrary to contractual/ club obligation Thus the suspension is for the breach of the obligation and not directly for taking the substance but for refusing the offered treatment, remedy etc

The reason cocaine is banned is because in some sports it does give an advantage e.g. sprinters. The banned list covers all sports, not just RL.