Catalans Dragons' Tony Gigot wins appeal against ban

Gigot was suspended for the 24-month term - previously reduced to three months before it was restored in full - for an "inappropriate exchange" with an anti-doping official in 2016.

But he is now free to play again, with Dragons president Bernard Guasch saying in a statement: "We are delighted with this decision. We have always supported Tony and believed in him and we are really happy with this ending."

After the sentence was reduced, Gigot returned to the Dragons team, only for the full ban to be imposed once more by the French anti-doping agency in August.

Gigot's doping test was negative, hence the Dragons standing by him vociferously, with Guasch saying at the time: "The club is shocked by this decision. Tony Gigot underwent three anti-doping tests in six months and all of them were negative."