Matt Stevens to join Saracens on January 2011.

thomond2006

http://www.rugby365.com/tournaments/guiness/news/2185760.htm

Matt Stevens, currently in the middle of a two-year drugs ban, is to join Saracens in January 2011 when his suspension expires, the English Premiership side announced Monday.

England prop Stevens was banned last year after testing positive for cocaine while a player with Sarries' Premiership rivals Bath.

A statement issued Monday by Saracens said the 27-year-old would join the club on January 19, 2011 upon completion of his two-year period of ineligibility.

It added "he will not train with the Saracens squad or be integrated within the club in any way until his ban has expired".

Brendan Venter, Saracens' Director of Rugby, said: "This is a massively significant signing for the club - it demonstrates the scale of our ambition, and it also shows that top players recognise Saracens as a well run club with a bright future.

"Matt is a world class prop with his best rugby ahead of him, and I'm sure he will flourish in our environment," the former Springbok said of Saracens' decision to sign the South Africa-born front row.

Stevens, capped 32 times by England since 2004, and a member of the
2005 British and Irish Lions squad that toured New Zealand, added: "I am looking forward to launching the next phase of my rugby career at Saracens in January next year.

"I have many great memories and friends in Bath, but there is something special happening at Saracens and I am very eager to be part of it."

Stevens resigned from Bath in March last year, quitting a four-year deal with the west country club worth a reported £1-million.

Since being suspended, Stevens has opened a coffee shop in Bath in partnership with former Bath and England colleague Lee Mears.

Saracens are currently in contention for the Premiership title, having become a resurgent force in English rugby this season under Venter.
Stevens was banned after testing positive for cocaine following Bath's European Cup clash with Glasgow in December 2008.

But his projected return with Saracens still gives him an outside chance of representing England at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

Not long after he quit Bath, Stevens told BBC Radio: "I hope with every
grain of my soul that one day I will be able to come back and be a better rugby player than I was."

Great to see that he has got over his personal problems and will return to rugby soon.

He will only be 28 when his ban ends, so he's got plenty of rugby left in him.

Good,
He should never have been baned in the first place,what he does in his time is his business and no one elses as long as its not performance enhancing!

thomond2006

Juelz Plain Samaritan wrote: »

Good,
He should never have been baned in the first place,what he does in his time is his business and no one elses as long as its not performance enhancing!

Eh, he was taking illegal drugs and failed a drugs test....

Risteard

thomond2006 wrote: »

Eh, he was taking illegal drugs and failed a drugs test....

Think he's getting at the fact that it wasn't performance enhancing drugs.

Stev_o

Risteard wrote: »

Think he's getting at the fact that it wasn't performance enhancing drugs.

It's noted that cocaine has been used before to hide traces of performances enhancing drugs....


Back on topic, bad loss for Bath who wished to re sign him, quaility signing for Scarries though but i doubt he ll enjoy playing their current brand of rugby.

danthefan

He should certainly have been banned but I think 2 years was harsh. Hopefully he can make a decent comeback.

You can say "it's his personal life, he can do what he likes" but there's now way the sport could be seen to condone taking cocaine, under any circumstances.

Risteard

It's a sensitive issue and I'm pretty split on it tbh.

Part of me thinks that it's his personal life, if it's not affecting his performance then leave him off.

The other side says that he's a role model to young players and rightly or wrongly he has a responsibility to fulfill.

Either way I think he should have gotten better support. It was a mistake in his life and I'm glad to see that he's turning things around.

PhatPiggins

Risteard wrote: »

It's a sensitive issue and I'm pretty split on it tbh.

Part of me thinks that it's his personal life, if it's not affecting his performance then leave him off.

The other side says that he's a role model to young players and rightly or wrongly he has a responsibility to fulfill.

Either way I think he should have gotten better support. It was a mistake in his life and I'm glad to see that he's turning things around.

Personal life is all well and good but cocaines isn't made in chocolate factory by teams of smiling umpa lumpa's. There should be no tolerance of it in society let alone sport.

And no I'm not judging anyone who does coke its the social cost of getting it up your nose that disgusts me.

Very good player though who I hope makes a full return to form.

danthefan

danthefan wrote: »

He should certainly have been banned but I think 2 years was harsh. Hopefully he can make a decent comeback.

You can say "it's his personal life, he can do what he likes" but there's now way the sport could be seen to condone taking cocaine, under any circumstances.

Oh I agree 100% but the thing is,imo players should not be tested for drugs that arent performance enhancing.
That means it never gets out and its never seen to be condoned,if it doesnt affect performance it isnt rugbys business and they have no business testing for it.

Would they have banned him if he was an alcholic,just as bad an example and many more lives are ruined through that then coke use.

Maybe im just being ignorant but I cant get how it is anyones business what drugs he takes as long as they arent improving his rugby ability.

danthefan

Juelz Plain Samaritan wrote: »

Oh I agree 100% but the thing is,imo players should not be tested for drugs that arent performance enhancing.
That means it never gets out and its never seen to be condoned,if it doesnt affect performance it isnt rugbys business and they have no business testing for it.

Would they have banned him if he was an alcholic,just as bad an example and many more lives are ruined through that then coke use.

Maybe im just being ignorant but I cant get how it is anyones business what drugs he takes as long as they arent improving his rugby ability.

Firstly are there drug tests that will test for certain things and not others? Once they knew he was taking cocaine they had to take action. In the long run it's probably better off for him too, his career has taken a hit but you can be damn sure he's off the stuff now.

As for alcohol, it isn't illegal and it isn't a banned substance in sports.

danthefan

danthefan wrote: »

Firstly are there drug tests that will test for certain things and not others? Once they knew he was taking cocaine they had to take action. In the long run it's probably better off for him too, his career has taken a hit but you can be damn sure he's off the stuff now.

As for alcohol, it isn't illegal and it isn't a banned substance in sports.

Im sure there are tests that would only show performance enhancing drugs.
The second bit is where we differ,even if they do show up the only people that should know are the people in the lab.

The rugby boards force the issue by making it public.

If you take cocaine directly before a match I wonder if it would improve your performance,because that makes it different?
I doubt it would,maybe someone could clear that up.

Stev_o

Juelz Plain Samaritan wrote: »

Im sure there are tests that would only show performance enhancing drugs.
The second bit is where we differ,even if they do show up the only people that should know are the people in the lab.

The rugby boards force the issue by making it public.

If you take cocaine directly before a match I wonder if it would improve your performance,because that makes it different?
I doubt it would,maybe someone could clear that up.

Sorry but what your getting at would sink rugby forever.

Think about it X player gets arrested after being caught with possession of a class A drug. Police question the players home Union on whether the player had been tested for drugs under World Anti-Doping code, Union says they had and that since they have a no tell policy on any drug that isn't performance enhancing simply ignored it. Police and press have a field day, the sport is ruined forever more.

danthefan

Juelz Plain Samaritan wrote: »

Im sure there are tests that would only show performance enhancing drugs.
The second bit is where we differ,even if they do show up the only people that should know are the people in the lab.

The rugby boards force the issue by making it public.

If you take cocaine directly before a match I wonder if it would improve your performance,because that makes it different?
I doubt it would,maybe someone could clear that up.

So you think governing bodies in sports should sit on lists of know druggies doing nothing about it? Not a chance, there is not place for drugs in sports (or anywhere else for that matter).

Aidric

Juelz Plain Samaritan wrote: »

Maybe im just being ignorant but I cant get how it is anyones business what drugs he takes as long as they arent improving his rugby ability.

Are you Ben Johnson's love child?

outwest

i thing 2 years was harsh considering gougeing is only 12-25 weeks,

he could of stuck his finger in someone eye and only get 1/4 of a ban he got, it wasnt performance inhancing so a 6 month ban would of been fair,

danthefan

danthefan wrote: »

So you think governing bodies in sports should sit on lists of know druggies doing nothing about it? Not a chance, there is not place for drugs in sports (or anywhere else for that matter).

Your opinion,I would take a more relaxed approach and I consider it their business.

AdeT

Juelz Plain Samaritan wrote: »

Your opinion,I would take a more relaxed approach and I consider it their business.

A drug doesn't have to be a steroid to be performance enhancing...

Cocaine is an stimulant and appetite surpressent. It increases tolerance to prolonged exercise. It enhances short term anaerobic exercise. So it has performance enhancing effects. I don't think it is a "performance enhancing drug" but it certainly has the capacity to improve/effect performance.

Some athletes use it on a night out so they can have a few beers, remain alert, and not worry about putting on weight thanks.

In my opinion, all drugs have a performance enhancing abililty. If cannibis helps people unwind and relax, then that has a performance enhancing ability.

Then you get on to the moral issues of hacing a very well paid, famous athlete being caught with an illegal class-A drug in his system...

danthefan

Juelz Plain Samaritan wrote: »

Your opinion,I would take a more relaxed approach and I consider it their business.

Eh, no. Societies opinion, reflected in the laws of the land.

TheGod

AdeT wrote: »

A drug doesn't have to be a steroid to be performance enhancing...

Cocaine is an stimulant and appetite surpressent. It increases tolerance to prolonged exercise. It enhances short term anaerobic exercise. So it has performance enhancing effects. I don't think it is a "performance enhancing drug" but it certainly has the capacity to improve/effect performance.

Some athletes use it on a night out so they can have a few beers, remain alert, and not worry about putting on weight thanks.

High intensity anaerobic excercise + cocaine = Not good

Not only will it put your heart in overdrive it will also dehydrate you. It would certainly not improve performance.

AdeT

TheGod wrote: »

High intensity anaerobic excercise + cocaine = Not good

Not only will it put your heart in overdrive it will also dehydrate you. It would certainly not improve performance.

http://www.amphetamines.com/psychostimulants/stimulant.html Got it from that abstract.

Cocaine is a stimulant and increases aggression and alertness - all performance related.

Doctor Zaius

reading in the Examiner today that he's set up a coffee shop with Lee Mears. I chuckled at the thought of those 2 big guys donning aprons and taking coffee orders.

wixfjord

Doctor Zaius wrote: »

reading in the Examiner today that he's set up a coffee shop with Lee Mears. I chuckled at the thought of those 2 big guys donning aprons and taking coffee orders.

I hear Matt makes really strong coffee, REALLY strong :P

I didnt agree with the ban at the time, and Stevens seems to been very repentent, so its good to see him back.

TheGod

AdeT wrote: »

http://www.amphetamines.com/psychostimulants/stimulant.html Got it from that abstract.

Cocaine is a stimulant and increases aggression and alertness - all performance related.

LOL increases agression. Think you need to stop reading the tabloids

from that link in the first few lines
[SIZE=-1]Cocaine increases tolerance to intense exercise, yet most of its chronic effects on energy metabolism are negative[/SIZE]

Essentially meaning that though you might be able tolerate the endurance the added endurance that you need to tolerate is actually caused by the cocaine itself so not a benefit at all. Cocaine speeds up your heart which uses energy. Combine that with intense exercise and your going to be very tired very quickly.

Increased alertness? Think most players are already very alert on the pitch and I doubt the small fraction of increased alertness will make up for the severe dehydration caused by playing sport and taking cocaine along with loss of endurance.

Also cocaine lasts in and around 20minutes so are you honestly suggesting that players would do a quick line before the game to enhance performance? Maybe another quick one at half time? Absolutely laughable.

Cocaine, a sports performance enhancing drug used by athletes to get an edge :P

AdeT

TheGod wrote: »

LOL increases agression. Think you need to stop reading the tabloids

Cheers

anonymous_joe

AdeT wrote: »

A drug doesn't have to be a steroid to be performance enhancing...

Cocaine is an stimulant and appetite surpressent. It increases tolerance to prolonged exercise. It enhances short term anaerobic exercise. So it has performance enhancing effects. I don't think it is a "performance enhancing drug" but it certainly has the capacity to improve/effect performance.

Some athletes use it on a night out so they can have a few beers, remain alert, and not worry about putting on weight thanks.

In my opinion, all drugs have a performance enhancing abililty. If cannibis helps people unwind and relax, then that has a performance enhancing ability.

Then you get on to the moral issues of hacing a very well paid, famous athlete being caught with an illegal class-A drug in his system...

Eh, serious exercise + cocaine + being Matt Stevens' size would kill you.

Moreover, Matt Stevens personal life has no bearing on anything. Whether he's a married family man, a drug taking party animal or a coffee-shop owner is of no impact on the sport. His private life should remain just that. As far as I'm concerned, he should have been made go through drug rehab (mainly for the benefit of moral types.). I mean, if he wants to kill himself, it's his business.

danthefan wrote: »

Eh, no. Societies opinion, reflected in the laws of the land.

Ah that's misleading. How many people take a line every weekend? How many people light up a couple of times a week?

If alcohol was invented tomorrow it'd be an illegal drug. Despite that, many of the most morally pontificating cnuts are ingesting a feed of it every week.

Moreover, moral standpoints should have no bearing on this argument. He's a professional athlete. The only reason, and I mean the only reason he should be criticised as far as I'm concerned is because taking cocaine isn't good for you. Then again, neither's the booze.

TheGod wrote: »

High intensity anaerobic excercise + cocaine = Not good

Not only will it put your heart in overdrive it will also dehydrate you. It would certainly not improve performance.

Aye. And it will kill you.