Departing Leigh Leopards forward Owen Trout served a one-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance, it has been revealed.

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) have confirmed Trout tested positive for a compound found in cannabis after a Super League game for Leigh against Wakefield Trinity in March. A statement on the UKAD and RFL websites said Trout served the suspension from May 22 to June 21.

The Wakefield-born front-rower, who left Leigh at the end of the season to join Cronulla Sharks in the southern hemisphere NRL, came through Leeds Rhinos’ academy system and made three first team appearances in 2019. He joined Huddersfield Giants the following year, moved to Leigh in 2024 and was capped by England in 2025.

Owen Trout seen in September when he played for Leigh Leopards. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

UKAD’s statement said a urine sample taken from Trout returned an “Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for carboxy-THC, a metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis”. THC is prohibited in-competition only and is identified as a ‘substance of abuse’.

The statement added: “UKAD notified Mr Trout of the AAF and imposed a provisional suspension. Mr Trout admitted to consuming a cannabis gummy and smoking cannabis joints in the week leading up to the match on 20 March 2026. Mr Trout stated that he had since ceased all use of cannabis and was commencing a Substance of Abuse treatment programme. An independent scientific expert concluded that Mr Trout’s ingestion of THC most likely took place out-of-competition (i.e., before 11:59pm on 19 March 2026).”

It added: “Mr Trout admitted the charge and provided UKAD with satisfactory evidence of his completion of an approved Substance of Abuse treatment programme. Affording Mr Trout credit for the time spent provisionally suspended, Mr Trout’s one-month ban is deemed to have commenced on 22 May 2026 (the date on which the provisional suspension was imposed) and expired on 21 June 2026, leaving Mr Trout free to compete in sport again.”

UKAD say athletes who test positive for a ‘substance of abuse’ may receive a reduced three-month ban if they can prove it was ingested out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance. Completing an approved 'substance of abuse' treatment programme can reduce the penalty further to a one-month suspension.