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Ex-Town Defender Facing Four-Year Ban - Ipswich Town News

Former Town defender Josh Yorwerth is reported to be facing a four-year ban from football after deliberately avoiding drug testers having taken cocaine the previous weekend.

According to the Daily Mail, Yorwerth, 23, currently with Peterborough United, admitted to an FA disciplinary hearing at Wembley last week that he took the drug in September last year and a few days later failed to answer the door when drug testers arrived at his home.

A positive test for cocaine would have led to only a three-month ban and he would have remained anonymous, however, the former Wales U21 international believed it would have resulted in a two-year sanction.

Avoiding a test is taken much more seriously by the authorities and Yorwerth was banned for the mandatory four years, although he has leave to appeal against the severity of the sentence.

The rules relating to players failing to take tests were tightened up following Rio Ferdinand’s eight-month ban back in 2003.

Yorwerth was with the Blues between June 2015 and June 2016 making three starts, all in the League Cup, and scoring one goal on his debut at home to Stevenage.

Having joined Town from Cardiff City, Bridgend-born Yorwerth moved on to Crawley from the Blues, then signed for Peterborough in the summer of 2018.

[Update] Peterborough have now announced that they have sacked Yorwerth, issuing a statement: "Peterborough United Football Club have been working with Josh Yorwerth over the past few months alongside the PFA to try and help him overcome a number of personal issues.

"The board of directors have been very supportive of him during this case and a representative of the football club has been in constant dialogue with Josh throughout the whole process.

"However, following the two charges made against Josh (one for evading an anti-doping test and the other for taking cocaine) and the four-year ban issued, the football club wishes to confirm that his contract will be terminated.

"The football club wishes Josh well with his recovery and for his future and hope he continues to get the support he needs from those in a position to help.”

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