A GOLD Coast rugby league player has become the first Australian sportsman to be banned for life for cannabis use.

The Queensland Rugby League has banned Gold Coast Vikings player William Morunga from the game in any capacity, including training with teammates, competing, or acting in any support role such as coaching or managing.



The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority collected an in-competition sample from Morunga on June 16 after the curtain-rasier to the second State of Origin match at Lang Park.



The sample "returned an adverse analytical finding for a metabolite of cannabis".



It is the first Australian case to involve an athlete committing a third anti-doping rule violation, which under the World Anti-Doping Code usually invokes a lifetime ban.



Morunga had previously received two bans for the presence of cannabis as a member of Touch New Zealand.



His first violation, following a test on March 5, 2005 resulted in a two-month ban and his second, following a test on March 4, 2006, resulted in a two-year ban.



Morunga's ban started on September 14.



Originally published as Footy life ban for cannabis use