- Chris Vui, who captained Samoa at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, received a four-year ban after testing positive for a banned substance
- The former Bristol Bears forward has taken up lorry driving in Bristol, with some shifts starting in the early hours of the morning
- Vui has hinted on social media that he intends to publicly share his version of events surrounding the doping case
A man who once led Samoa onto the world stage at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan is now earning a living as a lorry driver after a doping ban brought his professional career to a halt.
Chris Vui, formerly a forward for Bristol Bears and captain of the Samoan national side, tested positive for nandrolone in September 2023. The result triggered a four-year suspension, backdated to the month of the failed test, meaning he cannot return to professional rugby until September 2027.
Vui challenged the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but his appeal was unsuccessful, leaving him to build a life outside the game.
He has since taken up work driving lorries in Bristol, with reports indicating that some of his shifts begin in the early hours of the morning. It is a dramatic shift in circumstances for a player who once competed against the best teams in the world.
Despite the upheaval, Vui has spoken openly about finding contentment in his new routine. In a recent Instagram post, he wrote: "My life is good! Really good!" He also drew a comparison to a cultural reference, adding: "Much like Nacho, I've got a mission, a little man to love, and the best job in the world."
The former forward also expressed enthusiasm about becoming a father, writing: "Fatherhood is the BEEESSSSTTT!"
Vui has also hinted that he may soon offer a fuller account of the circumstances around his suspension. In a separate Instagram post, he posed the question: "What happens when a world-class athlete, at the peak of his career, tests positive for steroids he's never heard of?" He concluded the message with the words: "Coming soon..."
The posts suggest he is preparing to speak in greater detail about what he maintains happened in the lead-up to his positive test.
Whether Vui will return to professional rugby once his ban expires remains uncertain.
Source: Briefly News
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