• Gabe Hamlin suspended by the Rugby Football League • ‘Wigan will look to support Gabriel throughout this process’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The Wigan prop Gabe Hamlin has been charged with a UK Anti-Doping violation and has been provisionally suspended by the Rugby Football League.

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Wigan say Hamlin, who is in the second of a two-year contract with the Super League champions, has already left the UK on a flight to Australia.

The Wigan chairman, Ian Lenagan, said: “Wigan will look to support Gabriel throughout this process until its conclusion and thereafter. Gabriel has requested to be closer to his family during this difficult time and we fully support this request.”

The news compounds a miserable start to the season for Wigan, who have had a suspended points deduction for a breach of the salary cap, went on a five-match losing run, had their winger Craig Mullen charged with drink-driving nine days ago and are still waiting to find out if former captain Shaun Edwards will take up their offer to become their next coach.

Lenagan, who had announced last August that the Wales defensive coach had signed a three-year contract, was forced to apologise to supporters for the confusion and the embarrassment.

The 22-year-old Hamlin was signed from South Sydney’s Under-20s team on the recommendation of the former Wigan coach Michael Maguire and was named the club’s young player of the year at the end of his first season in England last year.

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He narrowly missed out on selection for Wigan’s Grand Final team in October but played in all but one of their opening eight matches of 2019, including the World Club Challenge against Sydney Roosters.

Hamlin was left out of the Wigan team for their last match, a 42-0 win over Catalans Dragons on Sunday.