Breakers development player Tukaha Cooper has received a one-month ban from basketball after testing positive for cannabis following a Southland Sharks NBL match in July.
The 23-year-old rising star admitted recreational use, which the Sport Integrity Commission deemed unrelated to performance, and served a backdated sanction on the condition he completed a substance abuse treatment plan.
Having finished the programme, Cooper is now eligible to return to competition.
Officials said the Substances of Abuse rules aim to balance athlete wellbeing with sporting integrity, while Basketball New Zealand encouraged athletes to seek support when needed. Cooper has not appeared for the Breakers this season.
