Club's fears over 19-player ban

Nineteen of 22 Penygraig squad players admitted the offence

Nineteen players at a south Wales rugby club have been suspended from the game for 18 months after refusing drug tests.

Vice president of Penygraig RFC Ian Woodington called the WRU suspension "unduly harsh" and said it could lead to the demise of the club.

Cub secretary Peter Bowen was also banned from holding any position in Welsh rugby for three years.

He admitted a charge that he had "wilfully obstructed or interfered with" carrying out doping tests.

But the Welsh Rugby Union has dropped its action against the club's immediate past chairman Neil Roper, a police officer.

A special WRU disciplinary panel heard the cases against the club.

The charges arose after Penygraig won the Silver Ball cup final against Pontypridd in May.

WRU chief executive David Moffett set up the panel

After a two-day hearing at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the panel announced on Tuesday that it had barred Mr Bowen from holding office or involvement in the management or coaching of any WRU-affiliated club for three years.

A total of 22 of the club's players had been charged with refusing drug tests.

Of these, 19 have been suspended with immediate effect after admitting the offence.

The WRU said two other players denied the charges and a third is considering his position.

The case against all three has been adjourned until September.

Worried about club future

Vice president and chairman elect Ian Woodington said: "The decision by the special disciplinary panel was in our opinion unduly harsh and could result in the club's demise.

"Our club is very much part of the community. The future of our junior and youth teams will be in doubt.

"As one of the principal feeder teams for the Welsh Premier Clubs, the implications of today's penalties could be felt throughout Welsh rugby.

"We provided the disciplinary panel with in their own words powerful mitigation. We would like to state that we will be appealing against the penalties imposed on us today."

Ronnie Lott, a Penygraig rugby supporter who follows the club, said: "They haven't proved that they took the drugs.

"There was anger because none of the players from the Pontypridd side were asked to take a test.

"The club is part of the history of the village. The red and the black colours of the strip came from the coal fires of the tips.