Another Warks player faces drugs charges

[Occasional Fan]

Graham Wagg was banned for 15 months only last October and subsequently left Warwickshire, and now another player, as yet nameless, faces similar charges. Will these people never learn?

BBC report here.

[Andy Mellon]

Apparently the player is Keith Piper, and he's tested positive for 'recreational' drugs.

Also, have a read of the previous thread on Graham Wagg's positive result for Warks last year.
http://www.world-a-team.com/showthre...highlight=wagg

This really does look to be a problem for Warks... Ed Giddins, Graham Wagg and now Keith Piper!!

[Teatime FatCat]

And a few years ago it was also Paul Smith for Warks who was dabbling in the party talcum I think.

[Zainub]

Can anyone explain what recreational drugs are?

[Notts Exile]

Any drugs that aren't considered performance enhancing are "recreational" - that would include cannabis, marijuana, cocaine. I suppose heroin would also be classed as recreational.

* please feel free to correct me!

[Occasional Fan]

It's a bit of a smoke screen in this case anyway, isn't it, given that the cricket authorities don't distinguish between performance enhancers and other substances?

[Richard Jenkins]

Piper has a drug record already . He was suspended for one match and fined £500 after failing a drugs test for cannabis in 1997. As he's 35, he's probably close to the end of his career. If it's hard drugs then he should get the same treatment as giddings and wagg. At the time of Wagg's problems I said,

this shows a few things.
1) the coach /support staff at Warks need to speak to all the lads and find out the depth of the problem. And get councelling or treatment in for those who request it. Its probably the case that the lad isn't the only one taking drugs. Having said that, it could also be an isolated case.
2) A clear message has ,unfortunatley , got to be sent. Society doesn't tolerate Class A drugs, so cricket shouldn't either.
Ed Giddins got 18 months, I would think something similar would be appropriate for the lad.

Well Wagg got 15 months ban. He was a lucky boy. I'd now ask questions as to the internal machinations of Warks. What is going on?

How did I guess about this not being an isolated case? Experience; i was a form tutor for kids in a Secondary School in England a few years ago and it was a good school, but it still had it's problems. in my form I knew (i.e definatly knew) of 2 children with drug problems, and there were probably others who i didn't know about (but suspected all the same). Drugs for teenagers are a mixture of experimentation and peer pressure, and the drugs education we used was of the 'fear factor' kind. However, I got councellers involved for the children with drug problems and so sent a message to the others that seeking help wasn't a weakness but a strength( I hope)

For sports stars I suppose drugs are either about performance enhancement or as a result of a social problem.
Pipers drug case involves 'recreational' drugs and so we can assume it wasn't performance enhancing.

Why do people take recreational drugs? habit,peer pressure, as an escape from reality,as an experiment, and so on.

Piper will get a ban I supose, but l also suppose it will depend upon the type of drug found, if the ECB or ICC is worried about Warks and want to send a 'tough' message etc. I'd be surprised if it was just a fine considering it's a second offence.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Richard Jenkins

if the ECB or ICC is worried about Warks and want to send a 'tough' message etc. I'd be surprised if it was just a fine considering it's a second offence.

The ECB should be worried about Warwickshire. It's common knowledge in and around the south Birmingham/Coventry cricketing circles that there is/was a drugs culture at Edgbaston. Keith Piper and Joey Benjamin (going back a few years) were (allegedly) regularly seen around smoking dope. While Piper is around the problem remains. Hopefully the Bears will sack him and make a proper attempt to get rid of this culture.

[Occasional Fan]

Piper asked for the disciplinary hearing on this matter to be adjourned to 26 May. The ECB has done so and has banned him from all cricket in the meantime. BBC report here.

If proved, this will be Piper's second offence. He must be expecting that they will throw the book at him, as indeed they should.

[Occasional Fan]

Keith Piper has been banned for the remainder of the season. That hardly constitutes throwing the book at the man, and it seems to me to be a light punishment for a second offence. I can only assume that cannabis use or abuse is not considered a serious offence by the ECB. Never having tried the stuff myself, I'll just have to accept the "expert" view that cocaine abuse is worse, and that that is the reason for the disparity between Graham Wagg's 15 month ban and Keith Piper's slap on the wrist.

BBC report here.