A SCOTTISH football player has been banned for TWO years after testing positive for cannabis.

Conner Duthie, most recently at Stenhousemuir, was let go by the club earlier in the season after testing positive for the substance in last March after a match versus Stranraer.

The 23-year-old from Edinburgh has also enjoyed spells at Hibs, Spartans, Dunfermline and Forfar.

According to the UK Anti-Doping agency website: “Mr Duthie provided a urine sample In-Competition on 16 March 2019, following a SPFL Scottish League One football match between Stenhousemuir FC and Stranraer FC, at Ochilview Park in Stenhousemuir. Analysis of Mr Duthie’s sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for carboxy-THC, a metabolite of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis.”

An independent expert witness considered the sample analysis was in accord with “cannabis ingestion” outwith competition which carries a ban of two years.

Pat Myhill, UK Anti-Doping director of operations said: “Cannabis is prohibited in sport due to the various psychological and physiological effects it can have on athletes.

“Whilst its use out-of-competition is not prohibited in sport, it is prohibited if found in a sample given in-competition. As the substance can remain in an athlete’s system for a long time, this case shows that there is a very real risk of a ban from sport if you choose to use this substance, even outside of competing. “Athletes are solely responsible for what is in their system, regardless of how they claim it got there and whether there was an intention to cheat or not. Our message to athletes is clear, it is not worth the risk.”