Jamie Acton could not have been clearer. “You’re probably abnormal in the rugby league world if you haven’t taken drugs at some point, whether that is socially or performance‑enhancing,” the former Leigh forward said this year when he revealed he had taken drugs throughout his career.
Rugby league is certainly not immune to drugs; to suggest otherwise would be irresponsible. But Acton’s claim that a player was “abnormal” if they had not been involved with drugs raised the question of just how much the game had overlooked the issue.
