In 2002, while playing for Rushden & Diamonds, Turley became the first British footballer to test positive for an anabolic steroid. He escaped with only a warning from the Football Association (FA) after claiming that he had ingested the banned substance nandrolone unwittingly, suggesting that prescribed drugs could have triggered the positive result, and that a suspension would cause him distress due to personal problems.
In 2002, while playing for Rushden & Diamonds, Turley became the first British footballer to test positive for an anabolic steroid. He avoided a suspension by claiming he had unknowingly ingested nandrolone, suggesting that prescribed drugs might have caused the positive result and that a ban would cause him personal hardship.