World Rugby has published details of its 2018 anti-doping programme as the international federation continues to prioritise values-based education and intelligent, risk-based testing.
The programme, overseen by its expert Anti-Doping Advisory Committee, saw World Rugby further its commitment to utilising all available tools for effective testing and analysis, while focusing on understanding rugby doping motivations and pitfalls and mitigating risk via innovative and effective influencer education and values promotion.
John O’Driscoll, World Rugby’s anti-doping advisory committee chairman, said: “As a sport, we must always be alive to the threat of doping and we remain committed to protecting clean athletes and maintaining a level playing field through intelligent testing and innovative values-based education.”
Here are the four players who have been banned:
1. Kisi Keomaka Unufe
The USA men’s sevens player who has competed on the circuit for over five years, received the 14-month ban after testing positive for heptaminol at the Sevens World Cup in San Francisco last year. Unufe took a thermogenic supplement that did not specify on its label that it contained heptaminol.
2. Unathi Mali
South Africa women’s sevens player Unathi Mali received a four-year ban after testing positive for stanozol and methandienone at the Hong Kong sevens in April 2018.