Former Huddersfield Giants forward Thomas Deakin served a three-month suspension earlier this year after testing positive for cocaine, UK Anti-Doping have confirmed.
Deakin left Huddersfield in May this year, around 18 months into his stint with the Super League club. At the time his release was confirmed on May 14, the Giants said that personal reasons were behind his departure and subsequent return to Australia.
But it has now been confirmed by UKAD that just two days later, May 16, Deakin began a three-month suspension after an in-competition test returned a positive result for cocaine.
Deakin’s urine was tested after the Super League game between Huddersfield and Catalans in April and he was notified of the adverse findings in his sample. He was then provisionally suspended effectively immediately, and never played for the club again. Deakin, according to UKAD, ‘admitted to ingesting cocaine within a social setting, the day before the match’.
Their statement said: “UKAD sought the opinion of an independent scientific expert to determine if Mr Deakin’s account of his use was consistent with the concentration of cocaine detected in the sample. The expert concluded that it was more likely than not that Mr Deakin’s last ingestion of cocaine took place during the Out-of-Competition period, before 11:59pm on 12 April 2025.
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“UKAD charged Mr Deakin with the ADRV, Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers and asserted a three-month period of Ineligibility.
“Mr Deakin’s three-month period of Ineligibility from all World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport commenced on 16 May 2025 (affording him credit for the Provisional Suspension served) and expired on 15 August 2025.”
That suspension has already been served meaning that he is free to resume his career in 2026 should he so wish. Deakin joined Huddersfield having spent time in the youth setup of Sydney Roosters. He played New South Wales Cup for the club, as well as for Norths Devils.