Doping

[Russ]

Given that rugby has had the worst drug test performance in sport recently.

Who is doping?

[OneMore]

Given that rugby has had the worst drug test performance in sport recently.

Who is doping?

Specifically, what does "worst drug test performance in sport recently" mean?

[Russ]

It means, rugby players are failing drug tests, including for performing enhancing drugs

2 from 9 months ago for you first:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/forme ... 707c7402d0

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... drugs.html

Followed by this yesterday:
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rug ... 55609.html

Rugby had a higher percentage of positive drugs tests in 2013 than athletics or cycling, according to figures released by the World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA].

While cycling and athletics had rates of 1.2 per cent of positive tests, rugby was at 1.3 per cent. That was despite the latter having a considerably lower amount of tests carried out over the course of the year.

The results come as a slight surprise, given the oft-presumed association of cycling and athletics with performance-enhancing substances. 22,252 cyclists were tested in 2013, while 24,942 athletes and just 6,126 rugby players underwent urine and blood examinations.

These figures include all analyses conducted by the 33 WADA-accredited laboratories for in- and out-of-competition testing and by two additional laboratories that have been approved by WADA.

Analysis of the positive tests in rugby, of which there were a total of 78, indicates that a large proportion came from South Africa [16] and France [12].

1657 of the tests carried out by the International Rugby Board [IRB] in 2013 were analysed in WADA-approved labs, resulting in three bans. One of those involved a Scottish player, while the two others were Namibians.

Also included in WADA’s report are the 92 urine samples taken by the Irish Sports Council in rugby in 2013. Analysis of those samples returned two Adverse Analytical Findings [AAFs], which indicate the presence of prohibited substances or methods.

[HoneyBadger]

A lot of guys in rugby are doping! And this is coming from someone with quite an in depth knowledge in the subject. The like of gh and short chain test esters are virtually untraceable if timed at the right time of day. Same goes for other injectable like igf-1 and peg-mgf. Any kind of planning and failed tests shouldn't be an issue. I'm not sure on international doping procedures but at the lower levels there's usually a tip off, same goes in gaa.

[Dave]

I remember reading an article years ago questioning the gains some of our players made in the gym over the summer period.

[Russ]

I have my suspicions for people who are doing it including steroids.

I think we need to see a real tightening of the rules on this.

Mandatory testing post game matched against regular out of and in season bench marking

[dublane]

Rumours of an Ulster AIL player last season being removed from the match day squad at his own request, during the warm up when it became clear that he would be drug tested.

[BaggyTrousers]

Let me take issue with the figures in the quoted article. First the use of percentage figures. I abomination these, there is a reason why there is much more testing I cycling and athletics, they have a traditional problem with doping. In terms of numbers they lead the way, comparing 1.2 & 1.3 & concluding rugby has a bigger problem is the work of an utter arsefoon.

All such figures deal in margins of error that render any attempt to highlight a 0.1 figure an irrelevance.

The figures do however confirm that the Irish do indeed take the pish more often than most.

I do not underestimate the potential for rugby to need to watch for doping, I have long considered p to be a dope from the top of his wee head to his wee tootsies, though occasionally he does have a wee run of games where I grow hopeful only for farts of the frontal lobe to cast doubt yinst more.

[Russ]

Heard a rumour Burgers get better when they are stuffed with ingredients

Easterby Out

[bazzaj]

Saw a recemt brilliant storyville documentary about Lance Armstrong on the beeb.
What a scumbag but there was a point where it dawned on him that he would have to do it to keep up with the rest.
Note it was two Irish jpurnalists that set about exposing him while the rest bought all his baloney.
Tne thing I would like to see is life bans from sports and not just a couple of years for testing positive or skipping testing consistently.
The current regs are not enough of a deterent.

[Lurgan Lad]

The thing I would like to see is life bans from sports and not just a couple of years for testing positive or skipping testing consistently.

I think this is a bit extreme in that circumstances need to be taken into account. It shocked me to hear Ulster players taking high doses of caffeine before games, obviously at high levels people are bound to be taking supplements to improve performance and the dividing line between legal and illegal isn't always clearly defined as far as I understand. In the American Football you have players failing drug tests from things to treat asthma or cough medicine. So while I agree with the sentiment that doping should be punished and discouraged in every way possible, I imagine not all drug tests are failed by cheats.

[Snipe Watson]

In the American Football you have players failing drug tests from things to treat asthma or cough medicine.

Because regular medicines are being used to enhance performance.

[Lurgan Lad]

In the American Football you have players failing drug tests from things to treat asthma or cough medicine.

Because regular medicines are being used to enhance performance.

Exactly right Snipe, so you have the guilty and innocent potentially taking the same medicine for different ends.

[BaggyTrousers]

Jesus if only I'd known at the time, wolf down several mls of Enos and I could have been a world great. Something of a stretch in even my credibility.

[bazzaj]

The thing I would like to see is life bans from sports and not just a couple of years for testing positive or skipping testing consistently.

I think this is a bit extreme in that circumstances need to be taken into account. It shocked me to hear Ulster players taking high doses of caffeine before games, obviously at high levels people are bound to be taking supplements to improve performance and the dividing line between legal and illegal isn't always clearly defined as far as I understand. In the American Football you have players failing drug tests from things to treat asthma or cough medicine. So while I agree with the sentiment that doping should be punished and discouraged in every way possible, I imagine not all drug tests are failed by cheats.

Yes but by the same token I dont think Ben Johnson was on cough medicine when he won the 100 metres or epo has ever been used to clear up a touch of asthma.
Just to clarify we are not talking about the odd vitamin or caffeine miscalculation here but people who are systematcally cheating and are allowed to compete again which is wrong and is not clearly sufficent deterent to others.

The people who avoid testing should be treated with similar contempt-life bans
Christine Ohurogu missed 3 in a year got a year ban and won gold within 24 days of her ban being lifted
The Brits wanted the ban extended but the IOC lifted it.
She became the darling of British athletics amd its all forgotten but not by me!
One example from multitudes.
Shameful.