should he be allowed to return to training early?news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/wigan/9440111.stm

If he is clean, why not?

not for me, he was given a 2 year ban and he should have to serve every last second of it. he cheated and that was his punishment, simple.

I'm sorry, but he didn't cheat. What he took was recreational and made no difference to his performance.

but it was illegal, hence the ban.

I don't think anyone can argue with the legality of what Hock was involved in, but he didn't cheat.

so sue me for using the wrong word, he is banned for 2 months still and to be allowed back in any capacity with wigan is a joke, until the ban is over.

A bans a ban 2 years, typical wigan trying to dictate what happens in the doping system. I hope the judge throws them out and fines them for wasting time.

I don't see a problem, if he'd done something which he'd been sent to jail for 2 years, then as long as he hadn't misbehaved in prison he'd be eligible for release after serving half of his sentence. He's been punished long enough, he wasn't doing steroids, he got busted for a recreational drug, 2 years off is excessive.

Getting done drink driving is worse than what Hock did, and players don't get 2 year bans for that. He's served his time for me, let him come back and good luck to him, England could do with him.

If the issue is about him doing something illegal then it should have been a matter for the police and courts not the RFL.

He won't be allowed to play until the ban is up. It looks as though a precedent has already been set with a football player.

I just think we should let the committee decide, and abide by their ruling, whichever way it goes rather than a kangaroo court.

well if anybody's going to know about dopes, it's gonna be Wigan

He'sbeen given a ban, he MUST serve it all. What kind of message would the authorities be sending out, if the relaxed it.

Shouldn't have been banned at all imo.

Disagree.
He has a two year ban and deserved it.
It has probably cost him somewhere between £300K and £500K.

Wigans point is that a football player has apparently been allowed to train with his team for a couple of months before he could return to playing.
As I said above, let the committee decide and go with that decision.

No drama.

Actually, cocaine is classed as a performance enhancing drug for numerous reasons by the World Anti-Doping Agency. So yes he did cheat. You can't really argue that he didn't, because its official that he did.

Who cares? We have a far better back rower in Westwood.

who mentioned a kangaroo court, it's a discussion on a forum ffs, i personally feel cocaine use ie, recreational drug use is nowhere near as bad as performance enhancing drug use. i also feel that as long as he doesn't play training with the squad wouldn't be an issue however now that rogues has accused me of setting up a kangaroo court, bollox to it string him up by the balls!

I think the only difference with football is that i believe they dont have the same agreement with the world anti doping agency as far as bans go. At least thats what i seem to remember anyway

let him train the lad as served his punishment , if you think the doggy jibes was fun for monas wait till hock graces a field again . shall we sniff a line for you shall we sniff a line for you !!!!!!

no he hasnt!

I dont see a issue with him training before his ban has finished.

2 years was well over the top anyway.... i don't see a problem with letting him train.

Yeah let him return to training. No big deal.

I love this "it was only recreational I don't see the problem" . !!
How very twenty first century.......Ashley cole probably didn't see a problem taking a gun to work(he isn't a sniper if you have never heard of him). Have we no sense of what's a crime and what's not and what needs to be punished?

I can imagine the mums and dads of all the brilliant Wigan kids thinking "they've got a cracking set up at Wigan so what if he's around drug takers next year he could be at old Trafford "

Yeah let him back no problem!!!!!

The next time wire play wigan i want them to have the best 17 thats avaliable to them..

The footballer tested positive for Ephedrine and had he followed information on the packet of the medicine he took that contained the substance probabbly wouldn't have been over the allowed limit. (athletes can also get an exemptions to enable them to use Ephedrine for therapeutic use).

Gareth hock tested positive for cocaine and was handed a 2 year ban he should serve that ban!
IMHO he got of lightly cocaine is not only an illegal substance in sport but it is also in many countries and possesion in the uk could land you up to 7 years in prison