Eurosport - Wed, 03 Jun 10:09:00 2009
England flanker Michael Lipman and Bath team-mates Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins insist they only resigned because their positions at the club had become untenable.
The three players terminated their contracts on Monday immediately before they were due to appear at a club disciplinary hearing, accused of refusing to take a drugs test on three different occasions.
"It is with tremendous regret that we announce that, as a result of the club's actions, we have no option but to terminate our contracts with Bath Rugby with immediate effect," the players said.
Bath have been conducting an internal investigation into allegations linked to drug use and fighting at an end-of-season celebration in London on May 10.
But Lipman (pictured), Crockett and Higgins issued a joint statement through their solicitor denying they had refused to provide a sample and vowing to clear their names.
"During the course of the last few weeks it has become clear to us that our position within the club has been made untenable," the statement continued.
"We have made every effort to work with the club to resolve our differences. Sadly, we have been unable to do so.
"It has been suggested in sections of the media that we have either missed or refused on three occasions to provide samples for anti-doping purposes. This is simply untrue.
"Anonymous sources have also made allegations against us to the club. We completely refute these allegations, which are both false and defamatory.
"We believe that these scurrilous and unsubstantiated allegations are not only proving to be damaging to our own careers but to rugby as a whole.
"Regrettably, for legal reasons we are unable to comment further at this stage although what we can say is that we will do everything possible in order to clear our names."
Bath have now lost five of their senior players due to off-field matters in the space of just three months. Lipman and Crockett were Bath's co-captains this season.
Comment 1 - 10 of 10
Aptly named "The Recreation Ground"
Loook like the cleanest thing in Bath is the plughole !
I'm a cycling fan but get no twisted satisfaction from athletes in another sport taking the heat from pro cyclists. Cycling recognised that if it did not face up to its responsibilities and act then the sport would implode, sponsors do not like to be associated with suchlike. Thankfully we seem to have a new breed of young riders who have turned their backs on doping. Come on guys, take the test, prove your innocence or fess up and walk.
walked before they were pushed. They obviously know how long cocaine stays in the system. Will probably offer to take a test next week when they know it is not detectable
All it needs to clear themselves is to take the drugs test, just take the tests & stop bringing this great game of rugby into disrepute. Any club that gets involved with these players before they prove themselves innocent must be crazy. Don't try saying innocent till proven guilty, if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear.
Stevens didn't come clean - he was caught and then apologised, just like an MP caught with his hands in the till !
If these attacks are so scurrulous, the take the test and clear your names.
Will Bath now sue them for breach of contract ? They would certainly have done so if they had been sacked. It's a two way street fellers.
So glad to see that the boys down at the Rec are upholding the high standards that rugby enjoys. There seems to be a long standing and systemic culture at Bath that they are somehow above what decent minded folk considers to be right. I gather there was once a well known, ex England international who coached this august club, who also left under a bit of a cloud and was the scourge of every restaurant and bar in town by not expecting to pay his bill using the age old saying "don't you know who I am?" It has to be seen as a little more than suspect that three high profile players leave on the eve of a disciplinary and another at the peak of his game leaves and quits rugby all together. I fear for what further revalations are to be revealed.
all very suspect down at bath !!!
Untenable??? ...Yeah guess it would become untenable after 2 Club Captians and another senior established player have been caught out red handed with a rolled up £20 in your nostril.
Something seems fishy at Bath, Harrison retires with immediate effect after the Bar Brawl, Matt Stevens found guilty of dabling in Recreational Drugs (at least he come clean and vows to fight back) ....No wonder the home ground is called The Rec, why dont they just stick with the Sally Lunn Buns? I found them nice when I went to Bath...ha ha ha
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