A rugby player has been handed a two-year ban after testing positive for the use of steroids.
Ross Bevan, a 22-year-old winger from Nelson, near Caerphilly, joined League 1 club South Wales Scorpions from rugby union club Nelson at the start of the season but never played for the club.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) say Bevan tested positive for exogenous anabolic androgenic steroid Drostanolone following an out-of-competition test at a squad training session on February 9.
Under new rules, Bevan would have faced a four-year ban but UKAD say he was given a more lenient punishment because his offence took place before the change was made and he is suspended from all sport until February 25, 2017.
In a statement, UKAD's director of legal Graham Arthur said: "This case is unusual in that Mr Bevan has received a two-year ban because of the unique circumstances surrounding the timing of his admitted use of steroids.
"Although Mr Bevan was bound by the Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) of the Rugby Football League at the time of his test in February 2015, the independent National Anti-Doping Panel concluded that, because he used the steroids in 2014, he did not intend to breach the 2015 Rules. He did not therefore have to serve a four-year ban.
"Whilst Mr Bevan is not deemed to have acted intentionally under the 2015 rules, it is very clear that he was at significant fault. UKAD takes the use of steroids in sport extremely seriously.
"Our mission is to protect the right to participate in clean sport in this country. Steroids have absolutely no place in sport."
Bevan is a product of the Rugby League Champion Schools system having turned out for Lewis Boys of Pengam but was playing rugby union for Nelson in WRU Division 1 when he was spotted by Scorpions assistant coach Paul Emanuelli and signed for the club.
Source: PA
