Two-year drug ban for Sheahan

Munster's Frankie Sheahan was tonightanded a two-year ban after being found guilty of a doping offence.

Sheahan was found to have Salbutamol in his body after the Heineken Cup game against Toulouse in April and an independent judicial tribunal ruled the levels of the substance discovered were not consistent with the player's use of the drug to combat asthma.

The tribunal found that it "cannot with conscience conclude that the player has satisfied us, on the balance of probabilities, that he administered himself with only eight puffs of ventolin containing Salbutamol for the purpose of properly treating and/or preventing his asthma and/or exercise-induced asthma."

Sheahan was suspended after the positive test and will now be banned from all rugby until May 30 2005.