RUGBY: It was a simple mistake, an unfortunate administrative oversight, but the ramifications for Ireland, Munster and Cork Constitution hooker Frankie Sheahan incluided the immediate conclusion of his participation in Ireland's tour to Australia, Tonga and Samoa.

Sheahan returned to Ireland last night, a little over 24 hours after arriving in Perth, after being deemed guilty of producing a positive drugs test in the wake of Munster's Heineken European Cup semi-final defeat by Toulouse on April 26th. His faux pas was in filling out a form incorrectly prior to the start of the European Cup.

All competing players are required to fill out separate drugs forms for all tournaments, including Celtic League, Heineken Cup and international test matches. Sheahan erred in filling out the Heineken Cup 2002-2003 anti-doping programme player consent form.

The key question in this form as far as the Irish hooker was concerned read: "I have no need to use any of the prohibitive substances listed at clause 2.5.1 OR I have a medical need to use the following prohibited substances; salbutamol, salmeterol, formeoteral or terbutaline, permitted only when administered to prevent or treat asthma."

Sheahan should have ticked the box after the second option but failed to do so. When tested after the Toulouse match he filled in that form correctly, stating he used a Ventolin inhaler - sambutamol is used in that - to control his asthma, but because he had omitted to record this in the pre-tournament affirmation, the two forms did not tally and he was deemed to have produced a positive drugs test.

The treatment of the player's asthma is well documented on sundry forms dating back to the beginning of his international career at underage level. This was simply a case of not crossing the is and dotting the ts, a bureaucratic blunder.

It is a salutary lesson not just for the player, prompting as it does the question as to why there isn't a standard single form, issued by the International Board (IRB), that would apply across all competitions, rather than getting players to fill out a raft of paperwork.

The IRFU issued the following statement: "It has been confirmed by the Munster Branch of the IRFU that a urine sample supplied by Frankie Sheahan following the Heineken European Cup match between Munster and Stade Toulousain on April 26th, 2003, returned a positive analysis showing the presence of salbutamol.

"Under ERC and IRFU regulations the player is temporarily suspended from all playing activity until such time as the ERC anti-doping procedures are concluded and the case is heard before the ERC's Independent Judicial Tribunal."

Frank Sheahan said: "I am shocked to learn of this development but I am absolutely satisfied it results from an administrative error. Apparently I did not tick off the appropriate box to show that I have a medical need to use Ventolin, which contains salbutamol, because of asthma, which all my medical records show. Ventolin is not a forbidden substance and it is simply a technicality of having it declared on the form.

"While I am devastated at having to leave the tour, I am anxious to get home and meet my medical advisors in order to put together the documentation that will clarify what I am happy is effectively a human error in administration."

Sheahan hopes the ERC will hear the case this week, giving him a chance of returning to the tour. Meanwhile, Paul Shields will sit on the bench for the Test against Australia at the Subiaco Oval in Perth on Saturday, understudying Shane Byrne.

The latter was due to be one of a dozen players returning home after the Australian test but now seems certain to remain on for the Tonga and Samoa matches. Keith Wood, who is with the party but on a training-only basis, will not be asked to play as he is still some way from full recovery from his shoulder/neck injury.

The Ireland squad train in Freemantle today. The team to face Australia will be announced following training tomorrow.