• Six Nations

Armitage slapped with eight week ban

ESPN staff
January 20, 2011
Delon Armitage © Getty Images
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Delon Armitage is likely to miss the whole of England's Six Nations campaign after being banned for eight weeks by the RFU.

The London Irish fullback was handed an eight-week ban by a disciplinary panel after pushing an anti-doping official before a routine drugs test.

Armitage returned a negative test, but was charged with "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the sport" following the incident after the Aviva Premiership match between Irish and Bath on New Year's Day.

He will not be eligible to play until March 16, three days before England's final fixture against Ireland in Dublin.

RFU disciplinary officer Judge Jeff Blackett said: "His behaviour was completely unacceptable. It brought discredit on himself and his club and failed to uphold one of the core values of the game - respect.

"Doping control officers should expect to carry out their important work without fear of abuse and be treated with respect at all times. We took into account that it was not a violent push but more of a brush past and that was accepted by the doping control officer.

"We took the offences as a whole and, in line with the sanctions for abuse of match officials, we decided that a low end entry point of 12 weeks was appropriate. This was reduced to eight weeks on account of his remorse, his letter of apology to the doping control officer and his relatively good record."

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