La Rochelle flanker Oscar Jegou, an Under-20 world champion with France, has been suspended as a precautionary measure after testing positive for cocaine, the reigning European champions announced on Thursday.
Jegou, 20, informed club managers of the positive test and "regrets having consumed (cocaine) in a festive and private setting, outside the La Rochelle group", the Top 14 team said in a statement.
"This information is a real shock for our club which places the education and training of its young people at the heart of its priorities, but it also illustrates the powerful rise of this social scourge," La Rochelle said.
"This reality check will lead us to strengthen our internal prevention and control system to a maximum, to deal with this threat which preys particularly on our young people today."
Jegou played the first three matches of this season's Top 14, including two as a starter, scoring a try against Lyon.