UKAD hand Widnes Vikings man backdated ban after positive drug test

Widnes Vikings man Jake Maizen has served a three-month backdated ban issued to him by UK anti-doping, it has been revealed.

A statement released on the RFL’s official website from UKAD has confirmed the ban, which was served last year when the Italy man was provisionally suspended following a positive drug test. The back, who has represented Italy internationally, tested positive for cocaine and benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, which are of course prohibited, after having a urine sample taken on July 28 2024.

Maizen was a Whitehaven player at the time with the sample taken after a Championship game with Sheffield Eagles.

The statement explains that shorter bans are available for substances of abuse, such as cocaine, if the athlete can prove it was ingested out of competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance.

Ultimately, that’s what Maizen successfully managed to argue, with a tribunal issuing the ban which was backdated to August 22, 2024, to account for the provisional suspension he served before leaving Whitehaven, ensuring he is free to compete. The 28-year-old joined Widnes on an 18-month deal in May 2025.

UKAD issue statement following Jake Maizen ban

In the statement, UKAD give a full rundown of how the decision was made: “Mr Maizen was formally notified by UKAD that he may have committed ADRVs (anti-doping rule violations for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance and was provisionally suspended at the same time. In response, Mr Maizen explained that he had ingested 0.3 grams of cocaine, Out-of-Competition, on the evening of Friday 26 July 2024.

“UKAD sought the opinion of an independent scientific expert in respect of Mr Maizen’s explanation. The expert concluded that “an impossibly large amount of cocaine” would had to have been ingested by Mr Maizen on this date and time to explain the level of cocaine found in his urine Sample.

“UKAD subsequently charged Mr Maizen with ADRVs for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance. In response, Mr Maizen amended his original explanation, stating he had ingested approximately 1 gram of cocaine, Out-of-Competition, on the evening of Friday 26 July 2024. UKAD referred this new information to the same scientific expert, who maintained their earlier conclusion.

“Mr Maizen admitted the ADRV for Presence of a Prohibited Substance but denied the ADRV for Use of a Prohibited Substance (on the basis of his assertion that his Use of cocaine took place Out-of-Competition). The matter was referred to the independent National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) for adjudication.

“An NADP Tribunal convened on 11 April 2025. After hearing evidence from both parties the Tribunal concluded that, in addition to the 1 gram of cocaine Mr Maizen admitted to ingesting in the evening of Friday 26 July 2024, Mr Maizen also inadvertently ingested a small amount of cocaine through environmental exposure, Out-of-Competition, on Saturday 27 July 2024.

“The Tribunal therefore dismissed the ADRV for Use of a Prohibited Substance since cocaine is prohibited In-Competition only. In respect of the ADRV for Presence of a Prohibited Substance, the Tribunal accepted that Mr Maizen’s ingestion took place Out-of-Competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance.

“The Tribunal issued Mr Maizen with a three-month Period of Ineligibility, deemed to have commenced on 22 August 2024 (affording him credit for the Provisional Suspension served), meaning he is now free to resume participation in sport.”

The full statement is available here.