Ben Arthurs Returns from Suspension as Bangor Striker Cleared to Play

The silence around Bangor’s leading marksman has finally lifted. Three months after disappearing from the Irish Premiership stage, Ben Arthurs is free to play again.

The 28-year-old striker has completed a three-month suspension after an anti-doping test detected a banned substance in the aftermath of Bangor’s game against Glentoran on 10 March, a match the Seasiders lost 4-0.

The case has hovered over Clandeboye Park since April. Bangor moved quickly at the time, suspending Arthurs and confirming only that they were “unable to provide further details” while an investigation ran its course. The club’s top forward, and second-highest goalscorer in their history, vanished from the team sheet just as the season reached its sharp end.

On Thursday, the detail finally arrived. UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) confirmed that analysis of Arthurs’ sample produced an adverse analytical finding for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

Under UKAD regulations, that kind of result can bring a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Yet the rules also allow for a reduced three-month sanction if an athlete can prove the substance was taken out of competition and not to enhance performance.

Arthurs admitted using cocaine “for recreational purposes within a social setting”. An independent expert, appointed to examine the case, concluded that the drug use most likely took place before the day of the Glentoran match, not in direct proximity to the fixture itself.

That distinction proved decisive. With a provisional suspension having been imposed on 7 April, Arthurs’ three-month ban has now been fully served. The forward has already rejoined pre-season training under manager Lee Feeney and is available for selection when Bangor open their 2026-27 Irish Premiership campaign at home to Cliftonville on 15 August.

For Arthurs, it will be a return to familiar territory. The coming season is set to be his ninth with the County Down club, where his goals have helped drive Bangor’s rise and etched his name deep into their modern history.

The questions around his absence have finally been answered. The next one is simpler, and far more in his control: how quickly can Bangor’s No 9 start scoring again?