FORMER Hull KR centre Thomas Minns has received a 16 month ban for taking cocaine.
He failed a drugs test after Rovers’ Super League win at Huddersfield Giants in March last year.
Minns said he took the banned substance on Mother’s Day as he struggled with his mum’s death.
Earlier in the season he had scored a hat-trick in the derby day win over big rivals Hull FC but UK Anti-Doping have now suspended him from all sport for 16 months.
UKAD’s chief executive, Nicole Sapstead, said: “All athletes must adhere to the principle of strict liability, regardless of whether or not they are deliberately seeking to gain an unfair sporting advantage.
“It is an athlete’s responsibility to know what substances are in their system, and they must be aware that even if a substance is not banned out-of-competition, there is always the possibility of it remaining in their body for a period of time and it being detected in-competition.”
Ex-Leeds Rhinos player Minns, 24, played his last game for the Robins in the 31-12 win over Widnes Vikings on April 7.
He was released by the Robins in July after a period of leave but was due out of contract at the end of last season regardless.
Leeds-born Minns - who also featured with Featherstone Rovers and London Broncos - will be available to resume his rugby league career on July 15.