Rugby league-Hardaker banned for 14 months over failed drugs test

April 30 (Reuters) - Former Castleford Tigers fullback Zak Hardaker has been handed a 14-month suspension after he failed a drugs test leading up to the 2017 Super League Grand Final, the Rugby Football League said on Monday.

The 26-year-old was suspended by Castleford having failed the test after a Super 8s game on Sept. 8 before being sacked in February. Hardaker also missed out on the chance to represent England in the 2017 rugby league World Cup.

"UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) today confirmed Zak Hardaker has been suspended from all sport for 14 months following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation," the governing body for rugby league in England said in a statement.

Hardaker, who tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine, is suspended from all sport until Nov. 8. (Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru, Editing by Christian Radnedge)