Drugs in rugby

[Catwhoorg]

That is just the current sanctions

Add to that 99 "historical" bans in the UKAD archive:

Rugby Union (including Welsh and SRU) 19
Rugby League 15

 

[Benotti69]

Amazing how little coverage there is on Rugby's very obvious doping problem..........

 

[oldcrank]

Re:

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) today confirmed that Welsh rugby union player, Ben Murphy, has been suspended from all sport for six months following an anti-doping rule violation.

Murphy (19) who was registered to Merthyr RFC, tested positive for the presence of 1, 3-dimethylbutylamine (DMBA), following an in-competition test on 7 March 2015. The test took place after a match against Bridgend Athletic RFC in the SWALEC Championship.

The substance was believed to have been in a supplement which Murphy had been using. As a result, Murphy is banned from all sport from 7 March 2015 to midnight on 6 September 2015.

http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/welsh-rugby-union-player-ben-murphy-banned-for-six-months/

Full decision:
http://www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule-violations/download-decision/a/6853

I have some sympathy with the player in this case, in that he did take some steps to try to ensure the supplement he was taking did not contain a prohibited substance, but there is a lot of evidence that many, many supplements do not contain only what is on the label.
(There is also the risk of deliberate doping of a container of supplement, and using that as 'evidence' to get a lighter ban if ever caught)

I personally feel 6 months is a little light, but the 2015 code does make this sort of ban more likely than the previous code.

I googled the name of his supplement without the terms banned
or contaminated and the first result was an 8-OCT-2014 dated article
stating it was contaminated with a banned substance. The young man
said he purchased the product in NOV-2014, and I will admit I have no
idea what the results of a simple internet search would have been then.

Any UK athlete that does not choose an http://www.informed-sport.com
approved supplement is, in my opinion, making a poor decision.

Of course, Team SKY partners CNP and Healthspan Elite both
have approved products:
http://www.cnpprofessional.co.uk/the-cnp-range-c2/informed-sport-c49
http://www.healthspan.co.uk/elite

 

[gooner]

Toulon linked to doping.

http://www.rtl.fr/sport/autres-sports/rugby-des-soupcons-de-dopage-au-sein-du-rc-toulon-7779643934

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Amazing how little coverage there is on Rugby's very obvious doping problem..........

Then don't go searching for facts on the NRL's "Supplements Scandal". It's getting even less coverage and action than what the AFL's version got with Essendon.

Meanwhile salary cap breaches get dealt with in under 2 weeks

 

[Benotti69]

Toulon's President channels Armstrong

http://www.the42.ie/mourad-boudjellal-doping-response-toulon-2321437-Sep2015/?utm_source=shortlink

Is he saying the same as Armstrong, that they all dope therefore he won 'fairly'........

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

Toulon linked to doping.

http://www.rtl.fr/sport/autres-sports/rugby-des-soupcons-de-dopage-au-sein-du-rc-toulon-7779643934

Read an article on it saying that 4 French players in the WC squad play for Toulon. You know who else does? Halfpenny. Any mention of him? No.

Personally I don't think he is doping, he really does look basically like a gymnast, and IIRC he did it when he was younger do I'm not too suspicious.

 

[dottigirl]

Mourad Boudjellal's response to doping allegations:

http://www.the42.ie/mourad-boudjellal-doping-response-toulon-2321437-Sep2015/

***. Ing. Hell.

 

[dottigirl]

In case you don't feel up to clicking on the link, this is the pic tweeted by Toulon:

https://twitter.com/RCTofficiel/status/641640346359889920/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

Toulon linked to doping.

http://www.rtl.fr/sport/autres-sports/rugby-des-soupcons-de-dopage-au-sein-du-rc-toulon-7779643934

Read an article on it saying that 4 French players in the WC squad play for Toulon. You know who else does? Halfpenny. Any mention of him? No.

Personally I don't think he is doping, he really does look basically like a gymnast, and IIRC he did it when he was younger do I'm not too suspicious.

You don't think gymnasts dope? Seriously? Come on fella!

 

[The Carrot]

Couldn't help but see some irony in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXppMqUVMYE

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Toulon linked to doping.

http://www.rtl.fr/sport/autres-sports/rugby-des-soupcons-de-dopage-au-sein-du-rc-toulon-7779643934

Read an article on it saying that 4 French players in the WC squad play for Toulon. You know who else does? Halfpenny. Any mention of him? No.

Personally I don't think he is doping, he really does look basically like a gymnast, and IIRC he did it when he was younger do I'm not too suspicious.

You don't think gymnasts dope? Seriously? Come on fella!

Pros yeah, but youth amateur gymnasts? I hope for this world that they don't dope.

 

[keeponrollin]

Re: Re:

Toulon linked to doping.

http://www.rtl.fr/sport/autres-sports/rugby-des-soupcons-de-dopage-au-sein-du-rc-toulon-7779643934

Read an article on it saying that 4 French players in the WC squad play for Toulon. You know who else does? Halfpenny. Any mention of him? No.

Personally I don't think he is doping, he really does look basically like a gymnast, and IIRC he did it when he was younger do I'm not too suspicious.

You don't think gymnasts dope? Seriously? Come on fella!

Pros yeah, but youth amateur gymnasts? I hope for this world that they don't dope.

Nah, in amateur gymnasts they just have coaches that drive all their charges into severe eating disorders, & systematically destroy their self-esteem, & self-worth, so that winning crappy regional contests becomes their only reason for existing.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Lewis Graham (21), who played for Keighley Cougars in Kingstone Press League One, tested positive for nandrolone, following an out-of-competition squad test by UKAD on 17 February 2015. Receives a 4 year ban.

Press release:
http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/rugby-league-player-receives-four-year-ban-for-nandrolone/

Full decision:
http://www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule-violations/download-decision/a/6870


He had been taking a variety of supplements since age 16. Listing a dozen in his submission of accidental contamination.

This "supplement culture" in rugby is completely out of hand

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

Toulon linked to doping.

http://www.rtl.fr/sport/autres-sports/rugby-des-soupcons-de-dopage-au-sein-du-rc-toulon-7779643934

Read an article on it saying that 4 French players in the WC squad play for Toulon. You know who else does? Halfpenny. Any mention of him? No.

Personally I don't think he is doping, he really does look basically like a gymnast, and IIRC he did it when he was younger do I'm not too suspicious.

You don't think gymnasts dope? Seriously? Come on fella!

Pros yeah, but youth amateur gymnasts? I hope for this world that they don't dope.

Of course they do. Young lads take steroids just to look good in a mirror, you can bet you house on the fact youth amateurs are also doping.

 

[The Hitch]

Re: Re:

Toulon linked to doping.

http://www.rtl.fr/sport/autres-sports/rugby-des-soupcons-de-dopage-au-sein-du-rc-toulon-7779643934

Read an article on it saying that 4 French players in the WC squad play for Toulon. You know who else does? Halfpenny. Any mention of him? No.

Personally I don't think he is doping, he really does look basically like a gymnast, and IIRC he did it when he was younger do I'm not too suspicious.

You don't think gymnasts dope? Seriously? Come on fella!

Pros yeah, but youth amateur gymnasts? I hope for this world that they don't dope.

Dude, open a newspaper. There are dozens of regions stuck in war and famine and dictatorship where people do the most horrible things.

Of course kids take drugs.

 

[Cake]

Re:

He had been taking a variety of supplements since age 16. Listing a dozen in his submission of accidental contamination.

This "supplement culture" in rugby is completely out of hand

Guess it's not just Rugby, the use of supplements is A Thing in all pro sports, I remember a newspaper column a while back by an ex-Sunderland player in the Sunderland Echo, saying when he was playing, he was always on the lookout for legal supplements, to get an edge on the competition. Would buy off the 'net etc. Wasn't clear whether / what the club doctors knew about it and I'm sure all players do that kind of thing with legal supps all the time

 

[Catwhoorg]

The full decision talks about his former club did some testing and had "approved lots" at the dealer (sorry store) available for purchase.

Its the coaches, the support staff, this crazed race to "bulk up" kids who are still growing naturally.


Its a friggen international disgrace. (its not just a UK problem for sure)

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Re: Re:

I googled the name of his supplement without the terms banned
or contaminated and the first result was an 8-OCT-2014 dated article
stating it was contaminated with a banned substance. The young man
said he purchased the product in NOV-2014, and I will admit I have no
idea what the results of a simple internet search would have been then.

Any UK athlete that does not choose an http://www.informed-sport.com
approved supplement is, in my opinion, making a poor decision.

Of course, Team SKY partners CNP and Healthspan Elite both
have approved products:
http://www.cnpprofessional.co.uk/the-cnp-range-c2/informed-sport-c49
http://www.healthspan.co.uk/elite

Informed-sport eh? The company that sponsors currently suspended doper Tom Danielson's team, yeah?

 

[King Boonen]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/34314851


Basically the Brits don't dope argument applied to empire-propgated sport...

 

[Cake]

To be fair I thought that was pretty balanced article, though focused on the Top 14 with no mention of the Premiership. The bit that stood out for me was Laurent Benezech's comment:

There is an equation for performance in top sport: steroids for muscles, growth hormone and cortisone for recovery, EPO for red blood cells and perhaps beta-blockers for concentration," he explained.

"You simply change the methods and quantities for each sport.

I'd like to show those words to every fool that says "my sport doesn't have a drugs problem cos it's a skill sport"

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Re:

To be fair I thought that was pretty balanced article, though focused on the Top 14 with no mention of the Premiership. The bit that stood out for me was Laurent Benezech's comment:

There is an equation for performance in top sport: steroids for muscles, growth hormone and cortisone for recovery, EPO for red blood cells and perhaps beta-blockers for concentration," he explained.

"You simply change the methods and quantities for each sport.

I'd like to show those words to every fool that says "my sport doesn't have a drugs problem cos it's a skill sport"

That's a succinct summary.

AICAR and GW50516 need a look in as well, IMO, but pretty spot on.

 

[Cake]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/34324029

bizarre story here. I hope these blokes are alright

 

[Benotti69]

Johnny Watterson in the Irish Times, Rugby union led sports in percentage of positive drug tests in 2013, say Ukad.....

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/world-rugby-cites-the-clean-elite-despite-british-doping-figures-1.2362305

 

[London Hibs]

This is an enlightening article from a year ago written by Neil Francis.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/neil-francis-ambivalence-towards-ped-abuse-in-sport-is-truly-galling-30602799.html