Rugby League player Thomas Deakin has been banned from all World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport for three months following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers. At the time of this announcement, the player is free to resume participation in sport.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected a urine Sample from Mr Deakin, In-Competition at the Betfred Super League match between Huddersfield Giants RLFC and Catalans Dragons RLFC on 13 April 2025.
Analysis of Mr Deakin’s Sample returned Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) for cocaine and its Metabolite benzoylecgonine. Cocaine is classified as a Stimulant under section S6.A of the 2025 WADA Prohibited List and is prohibited In-Competition only. Cocaine is also identified as a Substance of Abuse in the 2025 WADA Prohibited List.
UKAD notified Mr Deakin of the AAFs and confirmed the imposition of a Provisional Suspension, effective immediately. In response, Mr Deakin admitted to ingesting cocaine within a social setting, the day before the match.
UKAD sought the opinion of an independent scientific expert to determine if Mr Deakin’s account of his Use was consistent with the concentration of cocaine detected in the Sample. The expert concluded that it was more likely than not that Mr Deakin’s last ingestion of cocaine took place during the Out-of-Competition period, before 11:59pm on 12 April 2025.
UKAD charged Mr Deakin with the ADRV, Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers and asserted a three-month period of Ineligibility.
Mr Deakin’s three-month period of Ineligibility from all World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport commenced on 16 May 2025 (affording him credit for the Provisional Suspension served) and expired on 15 August 2025.
