Former Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb has been banned for four years by the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD).
Webb was suspended soon after joining second tier French side Biarritz last summer after returning a positive test for human growth hormone (HGH) during a training session.
Both A and B samples came back positive.
Webb will now be ineligible to play until 2027, meaning he will be 38 by the time the ban runs it course.
He has since posted a statement on behalf of his lawyer on social media.
“The sanction imposed on Rhys Webb is not final, and we have immediately instructed a lawyer at the Conseil d’Etat to lodge an appeal to overturn the AFLD’s decision,” it said.
“In the meantime, Rhys wishes to reaffirm his innocence, pointing out that he has never undergone any other disciplinary procedure, of any kind, during his long career as a professional athlete and has never used any doping product, growth hormone in particular.”
The statement goes on to point out what they believe are “incompetencies” in the AFDL’s testing process.
Biarritz have been asked to comment.
