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.