According to the Mail, 15 Premier League footballers between 2015 and 2020 tested positive for banned substances. But, not one of them was disqualified from the competition. The UKAD usually does not ban competitors if the substance was accidentally ingested, or if the player has a Therapeutic Use Exemption.
Twelve players tested positive for performance-enhancing substances that were banned in the country. In total, 88 footballers from Wales, Scotland and England failed a variety of drug tests between 2013 and 2020, with adverse findings.
Premier League’s failed drug tests lead to no bans
The twelve cases of performance-enhancing drugs included one positive test for amphetamine and three findings of triamcinolone, the corticosteroid that Sir Bradley Wiggins used to treat hay fever before his Tour de France victory.
Four cases for Ritalin and one for the testosterone-boosting hormone, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) were found. HCG is often used in cycling and mixed martial arts.
The remainder of the positive tests were for steroids prednisolone and diuretic indapamide, which can help mask the presence of other drugs in an athlete’s system. Athletes need to undergo medical tests following the detection to rule out the case of medical conditions for the reason behind their drug use.
The UKAD refused to reveal the details of the Premier League players that were found with these substances in their bloodstreams. One of the reasons was due to the protection of minors, while the major one was that the FA didn’t ban certain substances that FIFA had ruled out categorically.
