The GAA and Sport Ireland have confirmed that Carlow footballer Ray Walker will not contest his four-year ban for a failed drug test.
The 35-year-old tested positive for the banned substance Meldonium in an out-of-competition test, taken in February.
Walker had originally lodged an appeal against the length of the suspension but informed Sport Ireland yesterday that he was withdrawing his appeal.
The GAA says this is the fourth occasion that an adverse analytical finding has been recorded against a player since the introduction of testing of inter-county players began in 2001.
The Association says on the previous three occasions, the players in question sought a Hearing from the GAA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Hearings Committee.
The GAA notes the reasoned decision made by Sport Ireland under the Irish Anti-Doping rules to impose a four-year period of ineligibility on Ray Walker in relation to an adverse analytical finding following a positive test for meldonium. #GAA
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 30, 2020
In a statement, the GAA says it's established an extensive anti-doping education programme for inter-county players over the last number of years.
