Former Bath lock Justin Harrison has been banned for eight months © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Alex Crockett | Justin Harrison | Andrew Higgins | Michael Lipman

Teams: Australia | Bath Rugby | England

External Links: RFU v Justin Harrison - Hearing into allegations of misconduct

Former Bath and Australia lock Justin Harrison has been banned for eight months by an RFU disciplinary panel after admitting taking cocaine and failing to submit to an internal club drugs test.

The 35-year-old, who quit the Premiership club in the wake of the original allegations, was also reprimanded for shouting, 'Class A, it's okay, everyone's doing it' into a microphone while on the coach taking the team and academy players to London for their end of season celebration. As a result he was found guilty of, "actions which are prejudicial to the interests of the Game" and handed a lengthy ban by RFU Disciplinary Officer Jeff Blackett.

Harrison was spared a heavier sanction by the fact that the incident occurred outside of competition as under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code cocaine is not prohibited at such a time. During the season the stringent WADA code would have demanded a two-year ban similar to that handed down to former Bath prop Matt Stevens following his admission of a drug habit in January.

Harrison's transgressions took place following Bath's loss to Leicester in the Guinness Premiership semi-final. After an all-day drinking session he took the drug after being offered it by Australian friends in a Shepherds Bush pub. Later he rejoined the rest of his squad in another bar where tensions between the Bath players and representatives of Premiership rivals Harlequins, also celebrating the end of their season, spilled over resulting in Harrison being knocked down by a punch from an unnamed Quins player.

Harrison was later implicated in allegations of drug-taking and was asked to provide a sample for testing but did not show up at the club when requested to do so. The following morning he offered his resignation in a meeting with Bath chief executive Bob Calleja. Harrison had one year to run on his contract.

The suspension handed down today was back-dated to May 14, the day Harrison resigned from Bath, and he is banned from playing and coaching rugby until January 13, 2010.

Following the ruling, Harrison said, "I wish to express my acceptance of my suspension by the RFU. I deeply regret the incidents of Sunday, May 10, 2009 and the subsequent damage to Bath Rugby Club and the game itself.

"My situation highlights the dangers to elite rugby players of excess drinking and illicit substances. Whether in season or out those dangers should be avoided. I am grateful for the opportunity to remain involved in the game and I fully intend to use my own experiences to educate younger players in the future."

Blackett credited Harrison for the way in which he had handled the situation, notably his resignation from Bath, the assistance he had provided the RFU, his decision to face the hearing in person and his admission of guilt.

"There is no doubt that the player was stupid to risk his reputation and future career in what was effectively a few moments of madness caused by having drunk too much alcohol so that he lost his inhibitions.

"However, I accept that he is an honest man and believe his account of what occurred. This stain on his character will go with him for the rest of his life, and that in itself is a significant penalty for a man of such high reputation.

"Comments from a man of his stature about taking Class A drugs, even in jest, could be taken seriously by young Academy players for whom he is a role model. If overheard by the wider public, such comments could undermine the integrity of the club and the sport.

"Ingesting an illicit substance, which the player believed to be cocaine, in combination with excessive alcohol clearly affected his judgement and led him into a fight in a public place. Public knowledge or even suspicion that an elite athlete ingested cocaine could have an adverse effect on sponsorship, recruitment and the general reputation of the sport.

"Failing to take a test also brought discredit on the game because it led to speculation that the player avoided the test because he had taken drugs. However, in the player's case that was mitigated to a certain extent because he resigned from the club."

In his conclusion, Blackett slammed the inflexibility of the WADA code and called for immediate action to close the loophole.

"Under the WADA code cocaine is only prohibited in competition - in rugby during the domestic season that effectively means that it is only tested for after a match. Out of competition testing (on any other day) does not include a test for cocaine. If a player tests positive in competition he is suspended for two years (unless he can show no fault or no significant fault) - at all other times there is no penalty under the WADA code because cocaine is not prohibited out of competition.

"This is clearly an anomaly which must be addressed. Cocaine is very readily available to young men and women of rugby playing age: if deterrence is to work properly it should be included in tests both in and out of competition. It should also be classified as a specified substance (a classification which gives a judicial officer flexibility to apply a sanction of between nothing and two years) so that an appropriate and just sanction can be applied to suit the circumstances of each case."

Bath Rugby chief executive Bob Calleja refused to respond to the decision, declaring, "It would be inappropriate for Bath Rugby to comment on Justin Harrison's eight month ban until the conclusion of the RFU hearing for the other three players and until all the issues have been resolved."

Harrison was one of four Bath players charged with bringing the game in to disrepute by the RFU, having already resigned from his contract with the Guinness Premiership side pending an internal disciplinary review. Flanker Michael Lipman, centre Alex Crockett and wing Andrew Higgins all resigned from the club following the accusations and are awaiting the results of their own disciplinary hearings.