Rugby player reprimanded over failed drugs test

(Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

A Scotland rugby international has been reprimanded after failing a drugs test for taking asthma medication without permission, it was announced today.

But Scott MacLeod, 28, has escaped a potential one-year ban and has been allowed to carry on playing.

Today the Llanelli Scarlets lock spoke of his shock at learning he had failed the anti-doping test.

Asthma sufferer MacLeod was found to have taken an asthma medication without the required permission.

Analysis of his urine sample, from a test carried out last month, showed the presence of Terbutaline, a drug taken through an inhaler to treat asthma.

MacLeod, who has 16 Scotland caps, did not have a current valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for the drug.

An independent judicial committee found the player had committed an unintentional anti-doping violation.

He was handed the minimum sanction of a warning and a reprimand and has since been cleared by the committee to continue to play the game.

Macleod said: "I'm not a cheat and I'm pleased that the panel accepted that I'd used Terbutaline inadvertently and that there had been no intention to enhance sports performance.

"Hopefully, other players will be a bit more savvy, given what's happened to me. I want to put this behind me now and concentrate on the job in hand with the national team."

He told a press conference in Edinburgh today: "I was shocked to learn that I had failed the test but I'm glad to get it over with now.

"I'll certainly not make the same mistake again."