Training session urine test sees Romanian 7s captain banned for 4 years
The captain of the Romania Sevens rugby union team has been banned for four years after being tested during a training session.
Stephen Hihetah of Hull RUFC has been banned from all sport for four years from 12 June 2019 until 11 June 2023.
Hihetah provided a urine sample following a training session on 21 February 2019 which returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for the Prohibited Substances Stanozolol metabolites, Metandienone metabolite and Tamoxifen metabolite.
He was charged with a breach of World Rugby regulation 21.2.1, “Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in a player’s Sample.”
The player’s case was that he travelled to London on 16 December 2018 and returned to Hull on 3 January 2019.
During that time, he trained at Genesis Gym Acton together with a friend on approximately six occasions, assuming this to be twice weekly for the three weeks he was in London.
Stephen Hihetah, the English-born captain of the Romania 7s rugby union team, banned for four years for steroids. Also played for Hull RFC. Anti-doping panel unconvinced by his claims he took it by mistake. pic.twitter.com/oneR9r7vjw
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) December 18, 2019
Before most of these sessions began, he took a pre-workout drink that his friend had prepared. The player believed that the source of his positive test result was the pre-workout drink, because his friend had subsequently told him that it contained a powder supplied to him by a fellow weight lifter, and that said weightlifter had later told his friend that the powder he provided contained substances that, if tested, would lead to a failed anti-doping test.
The friend in question gave testimony, saying it was he who inadvertently spiked Hihetah’s pre-workout.
Hull RUFC 48-14 Sandal:
Stephen Hihetah scores the first of his two tries:#HullRUFC #HullRugbyUnion pic.twitter.com/8XHNTdcCu5— Hull RUFC (@hullrugbyunion) April 1, 2017
“During the Christmas period 2018 Stephen and I trained together numerous times. Stephen and I regularly train together when he is back in London. During the time frame, I provided him with an old ‘home made’ pre work out powder. The pre-workout contained caffeine for energy, some BCAA for endurance and fatigue and the pre-mix supplement that was given to me from a gym member for increased strength. This is a workout powder I have personally taken in the past and continued to use after Stephen went back up north.
“I recently in passing spoke to the lifter at Genesis Gym, regarding the pre-mix supplement he had given me. He said, (within the context of our conversation regarding Stephen’s drug test) without disclosing the exact ingredients, that if I was to be tested I or he would fail.
“This was new news to me and in turn I informed Stephen, I was disgusted and appalled by this information.”
RFU Anti-Doping and Illicit Drugs Programme Manager Stephen Watkins said: “All rugby players are subject to the anti-doping rules which are in place to protect players and the integrity of our sport.”
Former Scotland and British & Irish Lions Captain Gavin Hastings surprises a lifelong Glasgow Warriors fan, taking him to the game and a unique tour of the stadium.
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments