The Rugby Football League (RFL) announced on Tuesday that three players had tested positive for banned substances, shortly after Sports Minister Richard Caborn criticised the game for its leniency towards offenders.

The sport had the second highest number of positive findings for hormone drugs in one year of any sport in British history in 2002, according to figures released by UK Sport.

Trio fail drugs tests

The RFL yesterday banned Dominic Peters for one year after the London Broncos winger provided a sample containing the anabolic steroid stanozolol, the same substance Ben Johnson infamously tested positive for at the 1988 Olympics.

Halifax forward Martin Moana was also banned for 28 days after testing positive for ephedrine and a third, unnamed, player was handed a one-year suspended sentence and fined �2,500.

"Anyone caught should get the maximum punishment and be banned from the game," said Schofield.

"There is no room for drugs in any sport because it is blatant cheating. The players know what they are taking. There are no excuses.

Anyone caught should be named and shamed Garry Schofield

"At the moment I think the maximum ban is two years but I think they should go further and make it four years.

"I am also annoyed that they have not named one of the players, suggesting it might be one of the game's big names.

"This is unacceptable and there is no room for it in the game.

"Anyone caught should be named and shamed but it seems they maybe don't want the embarrassment that would cause."

Schofield believes the problem has grown in seriousness in recent times and does not feel that clubs are doing enough to eradicate it.

"By all accounts it is rife in the game and it needs to be investigated thoroughly," he said.

"You hear that players are going to be out for six to eight weeks but are then playing again in two or three.

"Things are going on and I am sure club doctors and medical staff know what the players are receiving."

The Broncos have refused to comment on the Peters situation.

Peters, who has undergone knee and shoulder operations in the past two years, had recently regained his place in the Broncos side after being loaned to National League London Skolars to help his recovery from injury.