Wasps forward Ashley Johnson given six month ban for failed drugs test but is free to play when Premiership starts

South Africa forward mistakenly took his wife’s fat-stripping tablets that contained a banned substance, but his back-dated suspension means he can return ahead of the new season

Ashley Johnson has been given a six-month ban for a failed drugs test (GETTY IMAGES)

Wasps forward Ashley Johnson has been banned for six months following a failed drugs test, meaning he will be free to continue his rugby union career this season as his suspension will expire before the start of the new season.

The 32-year-old South African tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide on 7 February after mistakenly ingesting one of his wife’s fat-stripping tablets, named ‘The Secret’, instead of his own legal supplement ‘Nutrilean’.

Samples of the drug were tested by both the player himself and the Rugby Football Union, with both testing positive for hydrochlorothiazide despite the drug not featuring on the product’s ingredients list.

Johnson’s ban will be backdated to the point of the failed test, with a six-month suspension meaning that he is clear to play again from 7 August this year. The new 2018/19 Gallagher Premiership campaign is not due to begin until the end of August, meaning that Johnson will be eligible to continue playing for Wasps.

“I was horrified when I got the test results and once we tracked back and worked out I had inadvertently taken the wrong tablet,” Johnson said in a statement. “I completely accept that I am responsible for everything in my body. Drug use is not something I would ever condone, and from now on I will be extra vigilant at all times.

“I would like to thank my family and friends, everyone at Wasps, the RPA [Rugby Players’ Association] and our fans for their support through this difficult period and apologise unreservedly for what has happened.

“I am now working hard in pre-season and am looking forward to putting this behind me and getting back to being part of the Wasps squad.”

Wasps’ director of rugby Dai Young admitted that the case serves as a harsh reminder to all players that a lapse in concentration can easily result in an unexpected failed drugs test, but also said that had faith in the RFU’s anti-doping system to ensure the game remains as clean as possible.

“We fully support the measures in place to keep rugby doping-free, and are grateful for the professionalism shown by everyone involved in this case,” Young said in a statement. “Ashley has been at Wasps since 2012 and in that time successfully completed countless anti-doping tests.

“He is an extremely honourable person who has made a one-off accidental error for which he has held his hands up, apologised and accepted the consequences.

“This situation has highlighted just how easily a player can make a mistake of this kind. We have therefore strongly reinforced to all our squad that they must always be on their guard and fully aware of exactly what they consume.

Dai Young acknowledged that Johnson's ban is a warning for all players (Getty)

“The last few months have been doubly difficult for us all because a process had to be followed and that prevented Ashley or anyone at Wasps from providing updates.

“I know this has been hard for our supporters; I would like to thank them for their understanding and hope we can now all focus fully on the season ahead.”

Wasps’ first Premiership match of the season on Saturday 1 September against Worcester Warriors, with Johnson also free to play in the club’s pre-season fixtures against Ulster and Connacht next month.