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RFU defends anti-doping programme that fails to test every Premiership player
The Rugby Football Union has defended its anti-doping programme despite being unable to guarantee that every Premiership player is tested for performance-enhancing drugs at least once a season.
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According to the RFU’s anti-doping and illicit drugs programme report for the 2017/18 season – which was published on Tuesday – there were 739 anti-doping tests conducted on professional players across the top two tiers of the English men’s game and top division in women’s rugby.
This represents an 18-per-cent increase on 2016/17 but more than 100 fewer tests than were conducted in 2015/16. Nearly two thirds of those tests were carried out by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), with World Rugby doing most of the rest and European Professional Club Rugby and the Six Nations also doing some testing.
But, as with previous seasons, this does not mean every player with a club in England’s top men’s division is being tested at least once, every season, because there are nearly 500 players in the league – with
another 150 in Premiership academies – and several are tested multiple times.
Asked by reporters on a conference call to discuss the report, none of its authors were able to confirm that every Premiership player had been tested last season, something many would consider to be the bare minimum for a game based on pace and power.
The 2017-18 anti-doping annual report for rugby in England has today been released on behalf of the RFU Anti-Doping Advisory Group ?
It reflects the diverse landscape of the RFU’s clean sport programme ?
Read full details here: https://t.co/QTP30FNSwo pic.twitter.com/oBGEGFmQsk
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) April 23, 2019
UKAD deputy director of operations Hamish Coffey said the RFU’s programme was “comprehensive but it’s not just about the numbers”, explaining that the testing was targeted for maximum effect and large sums of money were also spent on education.
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RFU medical services director Dr Simon Kemp, who also chairs its anti-doping advisory group, said “no programme would have a hard and fast minimum number of tests”, while the manager of the RFU’s anti-doping and illicit programme Stephen Watkins claimed having a minimum requirement would not have the same deterrence effect because it would be predictable.
In terms of the numbers, those 739 tests resulted in only two violations: one was for Wasps player Ashley Johnson using a contaminated supplement – for which he received a six-month ban – and the other was for Yorkshire Carnegie player Brandon Staples testing positive for steroids, the first such case in English pro rugby since 2011. Staples received a four-year ban.
?? 739 tests within the professional game
?? 99 tests conducted in the community game
The RFU has published its annual anti-doping report.
More: ?? https://t.co/wn7Y0hndQH pic.twitter.com/Vwm4pyZMFT— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) April 23, 2019
But, as Kemp admitted, there can be no room for complacency, as a further 99 tests in community rugby (the club game below the second tier) produced three bans, which help explain why rugby union is by some margin the most sanctioned sport by UKAD. Of the 66 bans on its current list, rugby union accounts for 23, with rugby league second on 11 – no other sport has more than seven.
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Both the RFU and UKAD believe this is a reflection of wider society’s increasing use of image-and-performance-enhancing substances, combined with a lack of knowledge about anti-doping further down the pyramid. They also said this season’s report will see a further increase in the number of tests done throughout the game after UKAD’s budget by the government was increased in April 2018.
The ‘sport mirroring society’ theory is also the explanation for the four positives from the 332 tests the RFU did as part of its illicit drugs programme. These positives were all for cocaine and Dr Kemp said they all also involved alcohol and players who were “dislocated” from the routines of their teams because of injury.
None of their information was released in the report, as first-time offenders are allowed to remain anonymous, although they were fined and given psychiatric counselling by independent experts. Earlier this month, Sale’s Jake Pope became the first player to breach the RFU’s illicit drugs policy for a second time and was subsequently named, fined and banned for six months.
– Press Association
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Comments on RugbyPass
I hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
1 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
25 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
6 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments