Tendler suspended after positive drugs test

The 28-year-old Canadian, now in his second season with the Elite League club, tested positive for a specified substance after his side’s 5-2 loss at Coventry Blaze on Sunday, January 15.

Tendler, who has contributed 31 goals and 19 assists this season as Hull look to make the post-season play-offs, was informed of the test result on February 3 .

He was immediately suspended from playing for the club although his absence was said to be due to an “upper-body injury”.

News started leaking out on Tuesday about Tendler’s failed drug test, prompting Stingrays’ management team to issue a statement.

“There is now a standard process to be followed before a decision is reached as to whether any sanctions will be taken against Tendler,” said the statement.

“The player will remain provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the remainder of the process. He is therefore prohibited from playing for the club until that is concluded.”

Tendler, who is appealing against the test result and is due to have a hearing soon, was suspended from playing for Hull by the UK Anti Doping Agency, under the World Anti doping Agency (WADA) guidelines.

According to the club statement, WADA defines a specified substance as one that is “more susceptible to a credible, non-doping explanation.” It is believed the punishment for the offence ranges from a warning to a two-year suspension.

Tendler arrived in the UK at the beginning of the 2010-11 season, the second time he had been signed by Stingrays’ player-coach Sylvain Cloutier after a brief spell together at Corpus Christi IceRayz in North America’s Central Hockey League.

He proved to be one of the summer’s bargain buys, scoring 74 points, including 47 goals, in 54 games. There was speculation that the prized acquisition would go elsewhere in the Elite League last summer but he displayed his loyalty, in particular to Cloutier, by returning for a second season in East Yorkshire.