CARLOW footballer Ray Walker has accepted a four-year ban after failing an out of competition drugs test in February, but added that he was unaware that he was taking a banned substance.

In a statement released through the Gaelic Players Association, Walker said that any violation was unintentional.

“My name is Ray Walker. I am 35 years old and returned to the Carlow senior football panel last November following a long absence. I am the player who is at the centre of recent reports about an anti-doping violation,” it read.

“In light of the four-year ban which I now have to serve, which ends my inter-county career, and most likely my club involvement given my age, I want to put the following on the record.

“I did not intentionally take any banned substance. Anything that was found in my system was there completely unintentionally. I cannot explain for sure how the substance came to be in my system but I was taking anti-inflammatories for a lower stomach issue around the time of the test.

“I am accepting the four-year ban because I want this episode over and done with and, at 35, even a lesser ban would still mean I was unlikely to ever return to playing. It is not an admission of intentional wrong doing on my part in any way.

“Finally, from the time that I re-joined the Carlow panel in November to the time the test took place in February, I did not receive any anti-doping training or education.”

“I will be making no further comment on this matter and would appreciate that the media would respect my privacy in this regard.”