The positive finding followed an in-competition test on 13 December 2014 after a SSE SWALEC Championship match between Cardiff Met and Narberth. The full written decision of UKAD can be found HERE.
The Welsh Rugby Union launched a nationwide anti-doping campaign in December to raise awareness of intentional and non-intentional doping. A new section on the WRU website has been launched – www.wru.co.uk/antidoping – with clear advice to help inform players and support staff of the rules and regulations with regards to doping including the new World Anti-Doping Code that came into force at the start of the year. There are links to help players check any medication and supplements they may be thinking of taking to ensure they are not on the prohibited substances list, and advice on batch testing products.
Wales captain Sam Warburton produced a video message [CLICK HERE to view], calling on everyone involved in the game in Wales to protect our sport so that every player has the right to compete with and against other clean players.
All clubs, players and support personnel have been written to, to highlight the new World Anti-Doping Code which includes two additional Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) along with greatly increased sanctions for breaching the Code.
There are now four year bans for cheating involving serious doping substances (eg steroids, growth hormone, EPO) and refusal or evading sample collection. The new ADRVs cover Complicity – helping another person to cover up an ADRV or avoid detection – and Prohibited Association – associating with a person such as a coach, doctor or physio who has been found guilty of a doping violation such as providing banned substances.
It was stressed in the letters that here is no room in the Code for carelessness or not knowing, and players are encouraged to check the prohibited lists, found via the WRU website which include over-the-shelf medication and supplements.
The WRU advises all its National Squads on anti-doping and ensures the professional regions and semi-professional clubs are fully aware of their responsibility to educate their players of the UK anti-doping rules and regulations. Players who are on the international pathway also have to complete World Rugby’s e-learning course.
Since the launch of the campaign at the end of last year, the WRU has trained its coach development officers and school-club hub officers to become anti-doping advisors and educators so they can deliver the anti-doping education and set up training for volunteers in clubs to become anti-doping advisors. The WRU now offers to deliver anti-doping awareness workshops at Regions and clubs around Wales.
The Welsh Rugby Union works closely with UKAD and testing is carried out at all levels from international level down to the SSE SWALEC Championship. Out of competition testing occurs at all levels of the game including amateur level if UKAD receive intelligence of a player committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
WRU Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis said, “The Welsh Rugby Union takes anti-doping offences very seriously and condemns any violation of anti-doping rules.
“We encourage anyone who has any intelligence of doping taking place to speak out and protect our game.”
Call the UKAD Report Doping in Sport number – tel 0800 032 2332, go to www.reportdoping.com or email anti-doping@wru.co.uk with any intelligence of potential doping taking place. To request an anti-doping awareness workshop, contact Steve Jenkins via anti-doping@wru.co.uk
