21 Jan 2011

Armitage banned for pushing doping official

9:53 am on 21 January 2011

England rugby fullback Delon Armitage looks certain to miss the Six Nations championship after being banned for eight weeks for pushing an anti-doping official before a routine drugs test.

Armitage, 27, was charged with "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game" after using threatening and/or abusive and obscene language and pushing the officer from UK Anti-Doping following his club London Irish's defeat by Bath on January 1st.

A Rugby Football Union disciplinary committee found him guilty and suspended him from all rugby until March 16.

The ban rules him out of England's first four matches, beginning away to Wales on February 4th, and effectively means he has no chance of playing in the fifth away to Ireland on March 19th, three days after his ban ends, having not played any rugby for two months.