Two year drugs ban for former Welsh international

LONDON (Reuters) - Sean Penkywicz, the former Wales rugby league international, has been given a two-year ban from all sport after testing positive for a growth hormone, the United Kingdom anti-doping authority UKAD announced on Wednesday.

Penkywicz, 33, formerly of Leigh Centurions, underwent an out-of-competition test last December which proved positive.

He had previously served a two-year drugs ban in 2005 while with Huddersfield.

UKAD cited the offence as "presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in an athlete's sample" and back-dated the ban to April 9.

Penkywicz played his last international against England in 2008.

He has not played this season because of injury.

(Reporting by Steve Tongue; Editing by Julian Linden)