Former Bulldog has doping ban reduced

A former Bulldogs player has been banned for 15 months after his drink was spiked with ecstasy and another recreational drug.

Lorenzo Ma'afu, who had played with Queensland Cup side the Ipswich Jets since last year, was hit with the "reduced" sanction by a Queensland Rugby League drugs tribunal on February 4, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) said on Friday.

Ma'afu tested positive to the banned stimulants methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) on August 16 last year after a match against Redcliffe.

He played two games off the bench for NRL club the Bulldogs in 2008.

"In deciding to impose a reduced 15-month sanction, the QRL drugs tribunal found Mr Ma'afu had no significant fault or negligence in relation to the presence of MDMA and MDA in his system," an ASADA statement said.

"The tribunal was satisfied that Mr Ma'afu's drink was spiked with the prohibited stimulants without his knowledge."

MDMA is commonly known as ecstasy and MDA is a psychedelic stimulant mainly used as a recreational drug.

Both are listed as banned stimulants under the World Anti-Doping Code and are prohibited in-competition.

Athletes normally face a two-year ban for a first doping offence under the code.

Ma'afu's ban will expire on February 1, 2011.

- AAP