London Broncos rugby league player Robert Oakley has been given a three-year ban by UK Anti-Doping ©Getty Images

Rugby league player Robert Oakley, of English club the London Broncos, has been banned from all sport for a period of three years following after an out-of-competition test showed the presence of four banned substances, UK Anti-Doping has announced.

The test was carried out on June 14 last year at a squad training session for the club, which plays in the Rugby Football League Championship, having been relegated from the Super League in 2019.

Analysis of Oakley’s urine sample showed the presence of three banned anabolic agents - RAD140, ostarine and LGD-4033 - as well as a hormone and metabolic modulator, GW1516.

Oakley was provisionally suspended after being notified of the result on September 6.

On November 3, UKAD charged Oakley with an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) carrying a ban of four years.

Rugby league player Robert Oakley, banned for three years by UK Anti-Doping, tested positive in a training session for London Broncos, who ground share Plough Lane with EFL League One side AFC Wimbledon ©Getty Images
Rugby league player Robert Oakley, banned for three years by UK Anti-Doping, tested positive in a training session for London Broncos, who ground share Plough Lane with  EFL League One side AFC Wimbledon ©Getty Images

Oakley responded to the charge on November 14, admitting the ADRVs and explaining that he had taken what he believed to be ostarine in tablet form to aid recovery from a shoulder injury.

He was able to reduce the four-year ban to three years after admitting the violations and accepting the period of ineligibility within 20 days of the charge letter.

His ban will operate from September 6 2022 to September 5 2025.

Jane Rumble, UKAD chief executive said: "Abusing prohibited substances to aid recovery from injury is a clear violation of the UK anti-doping rules.

"Strict liability means that the athlete is responsible for what goes in their body.

"There are serious and wide-ranging consequences for the athlete when they do not comply with the rules, and this will impact their career."

The Rugby Football League added: “We support UKAD in their determination to ensure that sport is clean, and therefore in their testing programme for recreational as well as performance-enhancing drugs.

"We continue to prioritise education of players at all levels, working with our charity partners RL Cares, regarding the harmful side-effects of drugs, as well as the potential impact of a positive test."