Frankie’s ‘living hell’

THREE months of torment ended for Munster rugby hooker Frankie Sheahan yesterday as his appeal against a two-year ban succeeded.

It clearing the way for the hooker to stake a late claim for a berth in the World Cup squad. A relieved Sheahan spoke of being freed “from a living hell” by the three-man Appeal Committee’s decision to reduce the ERC’s mandatory two-year sentence, for the discovery of the prohibited substance Salbutamol in a urine sample, to three months along with a 5,000 fine. The suspension ended last Friday and allows the hooker to play for Munster on Friday against Leinster in the Celtic League.

The tribunal took into account that Sheahan and Munster had failed to fill the player consent form properly, but found that a dehydrated Sheahan, as he was coming from the pitch against Toulouse, had only taken the normal therapeutic dose of Salbutamol - eight puffs of ventolin - to treat his asthma. While there was elation etched all over Sheahan’s face yesterday, he also hoped his case would mean this wouldn’t happen to another asthmatic rugby player.

“I am absolutely thrilled this decision has been over-turned,” Sheahan said. “This has been an absolutely torrid time for myself and my family and I would like to say, in light of what happened to me, that the IRFU and the IRB need to look to the IOC, and at what regulations are should be drawn up. My main concern here is that this doesn’t happen to me again, but it doesn’t happen to anyone ever again.

“The cut-off points are not appropriate for Rugby players, particularly those who are playing in humid conditions. For a front-row forward like myself who runs around for over an hour, to have the same cut-off point as a 100m sprinter who runs for ten seconds is not right.”

Irish coach, Eddie O’Sullivan, expressed his delight at Sheahan’s exoneration. “I think it is great news. I personally had to give him the bad news in Australia that he was suspended and I always felt it was just an error in ticking a box. The door to the World Cup opens again, it is a possibility for him. Hopefully, he gets playing on Friday night . And we will take it from there.”

In just a few weeks, Sheahan has gone from total despair to the cusp of a seat on the World Cup plane. The hooker recalled some of the terrible days he had to suffer, although he feels the depth of public support helped to pull him through. “The media and the general public for gave this case the exposure I think was necessary, and it certainly did help to get the decision over-turned. We started a website and there were about 10,000 hits. The good wishes I received from people were much appreciated.

“There were hundreds of low points, almost every day. There were some extremely difficult days, and I only got through them with the support of my family and my friends, and support from the general public, people just coming up to me on the street and wishing me the best. Every bit of that helped. I know Alan Gaffney and Eddie O’Sullivan were just as supportive through the whole ordeal and they encouraged me an awful lot to keep going, through the training especially.”

Sheahan’s father, Frank Snr spoke of the effect the turmoil had on his son. “Frankie was always good-humoured, but he was found to be a bit cranky for a few days during this. I think he has weathered this extremely well, he has knuckled down and continued to train hard during the whole ordeal.

“The family united together through all of this and I would just like to thank all the people that came forward with help, particularly medical people who came of their own accord to help us. Frankie will come out of this a better man, I have no doubt. I would rather he didn’t go through these circumstances to become that better man. It has been a terrible few months, but the support we got from people all over the country and all over the world has really helped us.

“Right up until Monday night, we still didn’t know if Frankie would be vindicated and even then, we were fearful that the decision would be against us.”

The smile on Sheahan’s face may tell a whole story, but the hooker still seemed slightly shell-shocked by the whirlwind turn of events “It will take a while to sink in. To be honest, the last two months have been so surreal, that it hadn’t really registered with me at any stage. And because I was kept so busy with the appeal. All I am doing now is looking forward to getting back.”

Given that he spent the three months on the side-lines continuing to train, Sheahan feels in tip-top shape and is hoping to return to action this Friday night in Donnybrook. “Absolutely ready to get back into rugby straight away. I always look at these things in a positive light, and this gave me an opportunity to work hard on my fitness. And I feel ready to come back.”

Music to the ears of Munster fans. And a good performance this Friday night in Donnybrook may see Frankie Sheahan on his way to Australia, just a few weeks after he thought his career was over.