Ben Arthurs Returns to Irish Premiership After Suspension

Ben Arthurs will walk back into the Irish Premiership under a very different spotlight.

The Bangor striker has completed a three‑month suspension after an anti-doping test detected a banned substance in the aftermath of his side’s game against Glentoran on 10 March.

The 28-year-old was initially stood down by the County Down club in April, with the Seasiders confirming only that they were “unable to provide further details” while an investigation unfolded. The silence ended on Thursday when UK Anti-Doping [UKAD] released the findings of the case.

Tests on Arthurs’ sample produced an adverse analytical finding for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Under UKAD regulations, athletes face the possibility of a reduced three-month sanction if they can prove the substance was taken out of competition and not for performance-enhancing reasons.

Arthurs admitted he had taken cocaine “for recreational purposes within a social setting”. An independent expert, cited in the UKAD decision, concluded the drug use most likely occurred before the day of the Glentoran match, which Bangor lost 4-0.

That distinction proved decisive. With a provisional suspension imposed on 7 April, the forward has now served his time. He has already rejoined pre-season training and is eligible for selection when Lee Feeney’s side open their 2026-27 Irish Premiership campaign against Cliftonville at Clandeboye Park on 15 August.

For Arthurs, it will mark the start of his ninth season at Bangor, a club where he has long been a central figure and stands as the second-highest goalscorer in their history. The goals have made his name. This episode will test his reputation.

His case also lands in the first year of a new era for the domestic game. Doping control was only introduced to the Irish Premiership and Women’s Premiership in 2024, in a programme jointly funded by the Irish Football Association [IFA] and the Northern Ireland Football League [NIFL].

The timing underlines the message: testing is here, and it bites. BBC NI approached the IFA and NIFL for comment as the league, and one of its most prolific forwards, adjust to a harsher reality.