A Welsh Rugby Union Player has been suspended for four years after a doping rule violation - Ruck

A Welsh Rugby Union Player has been suspended for four years after a doping rule violation

  • Kurt Clabby has been handed a four-year ban by regulatory body UK Anti-Doping.
  • The 29-year-old from Caerphilly failed to report for an out-of-competition test
  • An independent National Anti-Doping Panel voted unanimously in favour of the charge
Welsh rugby player Kurt Clabby has been suspended for four years after missing a drugs test

The 29-year-old from Caerphilly failed to report for an out-of-competition test on 1 December 2015. Clabby was playing in the Welsh Premiership for Bedwas at the time.

UKAD Chief Executive, Nicole Sapstead said: “Kurt Clabby’s decision to evade sample collection is not just a serious breach of the rules but it also goes against the spirit of sport and his responsibility as a sportsperson.


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“We treat violations such as this with the upmost seriousness and we will always seek to impose the maximum possible sanction on any individual who decides to consciously cheat the system.”

A WRU statement said: “Following a four year suspension to Kurt Clabby of Bedwas and Nelson for evading, refusing or failing to submit a sample collection, the WRU has reiterated its call for players to ‘Stay Onside’.

“The Welsh Rugby Union has increased its level of anti-doping education across all levels of Welsh rugby and has invited community clubs to nominate club integrity officers to receive further guidance.

“There is no place for doping in Welsh rugby.”

However, should missing a drugs test result in a longer ban than for this…

Without a doubt, one of the uglier incidents we’ve seen on a rugby field occurred recently in an Italian Serie A match between Valsugana Padova and Rugby Vicenza.

A Vicenza player was banned for 36 months for this dangerous, blind-side tackle on a female referee – 12 months shorter than Clabby received for missing a drugs test.