A POLICEMAN from Galashiels has been banned from rugby for two year after failing a drugs test.

Craig Russell was playing for his hometown team in October 2017 against Edinburgh Accies when he tested positive for female fertility drug clomiphene.

The substance is prohibited under World Anti-Doping regulations.

Russell, who was selected to play for the British Police in the year before failing the failed test, has been serving an interim ban since October 2017.

And he will be free to resume playing competitive rugby again from October.

A spokesman for Scottish Rugby said: “This has been a long, drawn out case but has now been concluded and demonstrates the strict liability stance taken by Scottish Rugby and UK Anti-Doping.

"It is the responsibility of every player to play and train cleanly and not seek to take short-cuts through the use of prohibited substances.

“We use an intelligence led approach and will act on any credible information received to instigate testing either in or out of competition.”

Russell becomes the eighth Scotland based player to be banned for anti-doping offences since 2010.