Northern Irish football player Ben Arthurs serves three-month ban for Anti-Doping Rule Violation
Northern Irish footballer Ben Arthurs has served a three-month ban from all World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance. At the time of this announcement, Mr Arthurs is free to participate in sport.
On 10 March 2026, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected a urine Sample from Mr Arthurs, In-Competition, at the NIFL Premiership match between his team Bangor FC and Glentoran FC. Analysis of Mr Arthurs’ Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF), for benzoylecgonine, a Metabolite of cocaine.
Cocaine is prohibited In-Competition only. Cocaine is listed as a non-Specified Stimulant at S6.A of the 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List and is also identified as a Substance of Abuse. Athletes who test positive for a Substance of Abuse may receive a reduced three-month ban, if they can establish that they used the substance Out-of-Competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance.
UKAD formally notified Mr Arthurs of the AAF and imposed a Provisional Suspension. Mr Arthurs admitted to ingesting cocaine for recreational purposes within a social setting.
An independent expert concluded that Mr Arthurs’ Use of cocaine most likely took place Out-of-Competition (i.e. before 11:59pm on 9 March 2026).
On 8 June 2026, UKAD formally charged Mr Arthurs with an ADRV pursuant to ADR Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites of Markers) in respect of benzoylecgonine, which he subsequently admitted. Mr Arthurs accepted the Consequences asserted by UKAD; namely, the imposition of a period of Ineligibility of three months and publication of the outcome of this matter.
Affording credit for the time he spent provisionally suspended, Mr Arthurs’ three-month period of Ineligibility is deemed to have commenced on 7 April 2026 (the date on which the Provisional Suspension was imposed) and expired on 6 July 2026.
Technical terms and more information
Cocaine is listed at S6.A of the 2026 WADA Prohibited List as a Non-Specified Stimulant which is prohibited In-Competition.
Please note, unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, capitalised terms used in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the UK Anti-Doping Rules and/or World Anti-Doping Code.
