Ben Arthurs Returns After Three-Month Cocaine Ban
For three months, Bangor’s second all-time leading scorer has been a ghost. No goals, no headlines, no explanations beyond a brief club line that they were “unable to provide further details”.
Now the full picture is out – and so is Ben Arthurs.
The 28-year-old striker has completed a three-month suspension after an anti-doping test detected a banned substance following Bangor’s Irish Premiership game against Glentoran on 10 March, a match the Seasiders lost 4-0.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) confirmed that analysis of Arthurs’ sample produced an adverse analytical finding for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. The test was carried out under standard anti-doping procedures after the league fixture.
Under UKAD rules, athletes who can prove they used cocaine out of competition and in circumstances unrelated to sporting performance can see potential bans reduced to three months. Arthurs admitted taking cocaine “for recreational purposes within a social setting”, and an independent expert concluded the use “most likely” occurred before the day of the Glentoran game.
That assessment proved decisive. With UKAD satisfied that the drug was not taken to gain an advantage on the pitch, the reduced sanction was applied.
Bangor had already moved swiftly in April, suspending Arthurs on a provisional basis from 7 April while the investigation ran its course. Those days now count towards his punishment, meaning the forward has served his time and is free to play.
He has already rejoined pre-season training under manager Lee Feeney and, barring any selection calls, is eligible to line up when Bangor open their 2026-27 Irish Premiership campaign against Cliftonville at Clandeboye Park on 15 August.
That fixture could mark a striking reset. Arthurs is entering his ninth season at the club, a remarkable stretch that has carried him to second on Bangor’s all-time goalscoring list. The relationship between player, club and support has been built over years of service and finishing instinct; it now faces a different kind of test.
The case also drops into a wider debate around recreational drug use in football and the balance between punishment, rehabilitation and player welfare. UKAD’s framework, allowing for reduced bans in specific circumstances, is designed to distinguish between cheating and off-field misconduct, without ignoring either.
Bangor have yet to expand publicly on their stance beyond the initial suspension, while the Irish Football Association and Northern Ireland Football League were approached for comment.
What is clear is this: when Cliftonville walk out at Clandeboye Park on 15 August, all eyes will drift towards the familiar figure in Bangor’s forward line. After a damaging misstep and a spell in exile, Arthurs’ next move comes with little margin for error.
