Championship player handed four-year ban

Former Barrow Raiders forward James Duerden has been suspended from all professional sport for four years after he tested positive to multiple performance-enhancing substances.

The 27-year-old ex-Workington forward, who helped Barrow win the League One Cup in 2017, failed an out-of-competition drugs test in December 2017.

He tested positive for dristanoline and nandrolone which are two anabolic steroid agents and will now be unable to take to the field again until the start of 2022.

“It’s imperative that all athletes, at all levels of competitive sport, understand and adhere to the concept of strict liability,” UK Anti Doping chief executive Nicole Sapstead said.

“Nandrolone and drostanolone are steroids, prohibited at all times as per the WADA Prohibited List, not only for performance enhancing reasons, but for health reasons too. Steroids can have hugely damaging effects, including causing long-term heart, liver and kidney problems.”