Gold Coast club left bitter as Queensland Premier Rugby star cops shock ban following doping scandal

A Gold Coast club has been left bitterly disappointed after one of their Queensland Premier Rugby players was slapped with huge a ban for the use of prohibited substances. See who and how long they are banned:

A Gold Coast club has been left bitterly disappointed after one of their Queensland Premier Rugby players was slapped with a huge ban for the use of prohibited substances.

Corbin Kiernan, who was a contestant on Australian Spartan in 2018 was found with an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) following an off-season doping control test on April 19, 2022.

The athlete’s sample showed traces of the drug Ibutamoren when analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory.

Ibutamoren is listed as Class S2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics) under the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List – 2022 (Prohibited List 2022) and is prohibited at all times.

Tiernan was also found to have traces of the prohibited substance BPC-157, listed under Class S0 (Non-Approved Substances), in his system around the same time.

Sport Integrity Australia said in a statement on December 20: “Both Prohibited Substances were prescribed to Mr Kiernan by a medical practitioner and dispensed at a pharmacy.”

Round 11 of the Queensland Premier Rugby between Bond University and GPS on Saturday. Bond University's Corbin Kiernan. Picture: Jerad Williams

A Bond University spokesperson said: “The player was recovering from injuries when he went to a doctor outside the club system and was prescribed the substances as part of his treatment”

Kiernan was not a student at Bond University, the spokesperson said.

The Bond University spokesperson said the club requested Sport Integrity Australia conduct an education session for all players following the incident.

“The club is bitterly disappointed to be informed of this matter and the conduct of the player.

“It has been continually reinforced that players are responsible for what goes into their bodies, and ignorance is no excuse.”

Kiernan’s period of ineligibility, which was initially suspended for three months, formally commences on the date of the original testing: April 19, 2022.

The sanction imposed is a 2 year and nine months ban for Presence of a Prohibited Substance, Use and/or Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance/s and Possession of a Prohibited Substance/s.

Round 2 Queensland Premier Rugby match between Bond University (blue) and University of Queensland. Photo of try scorer Corbin Kiernan. Photo by Richard Gosling

He is therefore ineligible to participate in any and all sports that have a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until January 19, 2025.

This includes any and all non-signatory professional league or event organised by a non-signatory international event organisation or a non-signatory national-level event organisation.

Kiernan is a Keebra Park State High School product who played both league and union codes at school before joining the Intrust Super Cup with the Burleigh Bears.

A move to Easts Tigers ignited Kiernan’s break into the club’s under-19 team where he progressed through the ranks and made his Queensland Cup debut.

Kiernan has a hit at Avignon in France scoring 16 tries in 12 matches which drew the attention of Pro Division 2 side Biarritz.

He made 11 appearances for the Biarritz club during the 2016/17 PROD2 season.

Following the conclusion of the 2016/17 season he returned to Australia where he has represented Bond University in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition since 2018.