Three top players dodged testers as officials at Bath, one of England’s most famous clubs, tried to crush fears of the growth of a drugs culture.

The careers of Michael Lipman, who was on the verge of a breakthrough for England, Andrew Higgins and Alex Crockett hang in the balance after they were banned for nine months on Monday — a damning verdict on their conduct by an RFU disciplinary panel.

The panel, led by Judge Jeff Blackett, dismissed protests from the players that drugs tests contravened their human rights and vindicated Bath officials desperate to quash growing rumours, triggered by a raucous end-of-season party, that their club were awash with recreational drugs-taking.

Although the RFU dropped allegations that the players had taken drugs when it opened the disciplinary hearing, all three were found guilty of two charges of misconduct for failing to subject to drugs tests.

But the panel added: “If the players had nothing to fear from taking a drugs test, then they would have taken them. The reality of the case was that, at the time, when asked to take a drugs test, the players believed there was a risk of positive results.

“This was either because they knew they had ingested drugs or had drunk so much alcohol that they could not remember whether they had ingested drugs. Each of the players, therefore, decided to play for time, keep out of contact and then hide behind legal advice.”

Lipman and Crockett, co-captains of the club, left Bath instead of attending tests, Lipman going to London and Crockett taking his girlfriend to Celtic Manor Hotel in Wales. All three refused to answer calls from the club, while Lipman was also accused of advising a young Bath academy player, who was caught up in the scandal, to lie low and not answer his phone.

“The RFU disciplinary panel takes no pleasure in imposing its sanction as the players involved are decent young men,” the judgment added. “There is also a need for a strong deterrent in this sanction.”

Suspicions were running high after Matt Stevens, the Bath and England prop, was found to have failed a routine drugs test at the start of the year. He later admitted to needing counselling and was banned for two years.

There was more and worse to come: Lipman’s name was plastered in graffiti over a bridge in Bath, feeding rumours of drugs-taking. But the issue culminated at the party in May in London. A player accused Higgins and Crockett of drugs-taking and there were fears that as many as six players could be involved in recreational use.

“These sorts of rumours — even if entirely untrue — can become very corrosive within the club because they generated mistrust between the players and were damaging to reputations,” the judgment read.

Justin Harrison, the former Australia forward, later admitted taking cocaine in the toilets of a West London pub and shouting, “Class A, it’s OK, everyone’s doing it” on a coach carrying members of the Bath academy.

Harrison retired and fled back to Australia while the RFU banned him from playing or coaching for eight months for “actions prejudicial to the interests of the game”. But the storm had not abated when Lipman, Crockett and Higgins were accused of missing drugs tests. They vehemently denied the charges but walked out of the club before facing an internal inquiry, leading to Monday’s RFU disciplinary process.

The panel’s decision was viewed as a vindication of Bath’s tough stance. Backing came from Premier Rugby, which represents top clubs, with Mark McCafferty, the chief executive, warning that the determination of clubs to rid rugby of illicit drug use will be strengthened.

Players will be subjected to new education programmes next season, while Steve Meehan, the Bath head coach, plans to push through a new code of conduct at the club, which will have to be signed by all players.

“We recognise that with the growing popularity of the Premiership comes increasing risks, particularly for the health and welfare of our players,” McCafferty said. “Our priority is to implement the new education and discipline programmes to further address these types of risk, with the Illicit Drugs Programme being the cornerstone.”

After the highs come the lows
January Rugby is rocked after revelations that Matt Stevens, the Bath and England prop, has failed a drugs test. He withdraws from the England RBS Six Nations Championship squad.
February Stevens is banned for two years after admitting taking cocaine, rugby’s first high-profile casualty of the tougher stance against drugs.
May Ten Bath players involved in a fracas at an end-of-season party. The names of Justin Harrison, the former Australia forward, Michael Lipman, Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins emerge from an internal investigation. Harrison retires from rugby and returns to Australia.
June Lipman, Crockett and Higgins quit Bath amid claims that they refused to take drugs tests.
July Harrison admits taking cocaine and is suspended from playing or coaching for eight months.
August Lipman, Crockett and Higgins found guilty of two charges of misconduct for failing to submit to drugs tests and are banned for nine months. Bath draw up code of conduct, which includes a ban on the use of recreational drugs.
Words by Kevin Eason