Catalans ace Tony Gigot wants last laugh – after TALKING himself into drugs ban
Dragons full-back found himself hit with a two-year suspension for 'inappropriate exchange' with tester
TONY Gigot talked his way into a drugs ban – now he hopes actions speak louder than words as Catalans look to take the Challenge Cup to France.
The Dragons full-back started 2018 facing another season out of rugby league for something he said to a doping official two weeks before his country’s match against England in October 2016.
Normally, such a quip would be greeted with a wry smile and a test, along with one after the match, came back negative.
But French authorities did not see the funny side, accused him of attempting to bribe an officer and treated him as if he had failed a test.
Now after training in a gym on his own, Gigot hopes for the last laugh as Steve McNamara’s side goes for its first silverware at Wembley.
“I talked bad when they came to test me,” Gigot told SunSport about the moment that saw him banned last February, possibly play after the suspension was reduced to three months only for it to be reinstated then cleared on appeal in February.
“When you’re young, people talk bad and you think you will get away with it but I didn’t and they banned me.
“I didn’t know when I’d be able to play again but I never stopped thinking about it.
“I trained by myself, every morning and night.
“Sometimes I felt, ‘That’s it, it’s over for two years,’ but my friends and family pushed me and I never stopped.
“Then in February I was told I could play again and I’m thankful to everyone for staying behind me. Now to have the chance of playing at Wembley is massive.
“It’s been tough but if anything I’ve come back and played my best season this year – bringing the trophy back is some ask but it would be massive both for the club and rugby league in France.”
Gigot will be cheered on against Warrington by about 20 family and friends, notably father Jean-Louis and uncle Antoine – but not his mother, who does not travel to witness her son or even watch him on TV.
If the 27-year-old plays like he did in the semi-final win over St Helens, the Lance Todd Trophy could also be heading across the Channel and London is not new to him after a stint as a 17-year-old at London Broncos.
Back then, he could not speak a word of English, so being thrown into life in the capital was every bit as daunting as playing at the national stadium.
Gigot added: “It was a big learning experience and the first time I’d ever been to another country but a player called Joe Mbu spoke a little French, so he would translate anything I didn’t understand.
“Now I get to play at Wembley and taking to cup back to Perpignan would be huge.
“After we won the semi-final, people greeted us at the airport at midnight. People had work and kids had school the next day!”
