“IN 2008 I broke my neck in a car crash and I was paralysed. I got back from that and I’ll come back stronger from this.”

That was the vow from Matt Duckworth as he spoke out about his doping ban. He described the six-month suspension, which has stalled his career and forced him to miss York City Knights’ Championship One promotion party, as the most heartbreaking news he had ever had.

As revealed on our website thepress.co.uk, the 21-year-old second-row was suspended on September 1, 2010, after providing a sample containing methylhexaneamine.

However, the ban was cut from the usual mandatory two years as the doping panel accepted he did not intend to use the prohibited stimulant to enhance his performance, and that the substance – which confusingly has several names, some of which did not appear on the banned list – could be taken inadvertently.

The ban ended a week ago but news of the case was only made public on Monday, following a lengthy appeal process.

“I was absolutely devastated. It was the most heartbreaking news ever,” Duckworth told The Press.

“Missing the Grand Final was devastating. I couldn’t go to the game – it was hard enough watching the semi-final. I watched the final on Sky and when the lads won I had to go out.

“I wanted to be playing. I should have been playing.

“I’d worked so hard to get where I was and getting to a Grand Final would have been the biggest thing in my career.

“To have been a part of that would have been amazing.

“When something like that happens, it’s quite hard to take.”

He added: “In 2008 I broke my neck in a car crash and I was paralysed. I got back from that and I’ll come back stronger from this.”

Derby-based Duckworth tested positive after the Knights’ penultimate game of the 2010 regular season, against Oldham.

“I took the supplement on the Saturday morning, not on the day of the game. It was just like having a lot of caffeine,” he said.

“I was working long hours – 7am to 4pm – and travelling up from Derby all the time for training, 86 miles there and back.

“It was supposed to be a caffeine kick bigger than Red Bull.

“I was gutted. I apologised for it. I let the coaches and the players down, but I didn’t really do anything wrong.

“I had spoken about it (taking the supplement) openly with other players.

“I’m not a drugs cheat or anything like that.”

Duckworth is just one of an increasing number of sportsmen and women to fall foul of methylhexaneamine.

“Two rugby union players from South Africa (Chiliboy Ralepelle and Bjorn Basson) were exonerated for this after saying the South African rugby union had provided the supplement,” said the former Castleford junior.

“I feel I was kicked in the balls.

“I was banned for a stimulant that gives you double the effects of three espressos.

“Methylhexaneamine has been the cause of a lot of positive tests.

“It (the supplement) had ingredients of different names. When I tapped it into a website (to check it was not banned), it didn’t show up.”

Duckworth is currently working towards qualifying as a fitness instructor, but he wants to kick-start his blossoming career.

He hopes that could be at York, although, with a plethora of back-rowers in this season’s squad, it remains to be seen whether new terms can be arranged.

“I loved playing for York. I came from nowhere really and played in every game (from May to August),” he said.

“Dave Woods (head coach) said he had no intention of dropping me in the play-offs.

“He’s the best bloke I’ve ever known for rugby. He signed me on at Castleford when I was 15. He was as gutted as me.”

He added: “I’m always talking to the lads and always on The Press website to see what’s happening.

“I miss it like you don’t know. I’m that hungry to get playing. But I’m still in Derby, and it has to be a deal that makes it worthwhile.”