Bristol Bears player Chris Vui fights for redemption after suspension for positive drug test

As Telegraph Sport can reveal, Chris Vui, the Samoan international and Bristol Bears favourite, has been suspended from rugby union as he contests the result of a failed doping test.

Vui is said to have tested positive in August before the World Cup, but he was not informed of the results, which automatically led to a ban, until after he had played two matches at the tournament against Chile and Argentina.

The back five striker, who has been one of the Premiership’s most consistent performers in recent years, missed Samoa’s final two group matches against Japan and England and was conspicuous by his absence for the remainder of Bristol’s 2023-24 season.

The Bears released an official list of departers in early May before announcing a separate 2024-25 squad list on Tuesday. Vui was not mentioned on either list. Telegraph Sport understands that Vui’s contract, which was due to run until at least 2026, has been terminated while he hopes to prove his positive test was due to contamination.

“He’s spent a fortune, his hair and nails have been tested and there’s no evidence of long-term doping,” said a source close to the player. “It’s horrific. The guy has been through hell.”

As cases such as that of cyclist Lizzy Banks have shown, anti-doping rules typically require athletes to prove that their positive test was due to contamination, whereby the prohibited substance entered their body unknowingly, in order to be exonerated.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) system is under scrutiny. UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) ultimately accepted that Banks’ positive result was in all probability due to contamination, finding there was “no fault or negligence” and did not impose any penalty. It was the first time Ukad had done so when an athlete had not specifically identified the exact source of contamination. Wada has appealed the ruling and the case is now set to go before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

A source added that Vui has “spent a fortune” clearing his name, hiring lawyers and conducting tests on supplements he regularly takes. The source of the banned substance has not yet been found, although Vui is hoping for a hearing in August or September of this year.

Bristol Bears rugby director Pat Lam was interviewed about Vui at the end of last season but was unable to provide any further details on the matter.

“I’m not in a position to talk about Chris’ position at the moment,” Lam said. “It would certainly be good to have Chris back with us at some point. He was a great player for us.”

“He was probably my second target for signing after I got the job at Bristol after bringing in Steven Luatua. Hopefully we’ll see Chris again at some point.”

Neither World Rugby nor Bristol Bears made any comment on the matter.