The Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) has embarked on a campaign to sensitise the Rugby Family in Ghana on the seriousness of doping following the shocking revelations of state-sponsored doping following the findings of the McLaren report, which said urine samples of Russian competitors were manipulated across the “vast majority” of summer and winter Olympic sports from late 2011 to August 2015.
According to the president of the GRFU, Herbert Mensah, Rugby has been known to keep its nose relatively clean in the area of doping but that he has instructed his administration to sensitise the players in the light of the latest revelations.
Mensah also said, “We have kicked off the sensitisation campaign by bringing World Rugby’s stringent guidelines as outlined in Regulation 21 to the attention of all administrators and players via our online communication channels.”
According to him, World Rugby has regulated doping extensively and infringements are subject to sanctions that may, depending on the seriousness of the offence, lead to a lifetime ban.
Besides Russia being accused of a state-sanctioned drugs programme in athletics, some of the biggest doping scandals to hit sport include (courtesy The Telegraph):
Athletics Doping Cover-Up
Bigger than anything that has come before due to senior figures in the sport – including former IAAF president Lamine Diack – being charged with criminal offences after allegedly taking bribe from Russian athletes, who were found to be part of a state-sponsored doping programme that “sabotaged” London 2012. Russia became the first country suspended for drug offences.
Ben Johnson
The most reviled drugs cheat in athletics. The Canadian was found to have taken steroids to win the 1988 Olympic 100 metres title in a world-record time of 9.79secs. Ultimately, six of the eight finalists from that race tested positive for banned drugs or were implicated in a doping scandal in their careers.
Diego Maradona
One of the greatest footballers of all time was kicked out of the 1994 World Cup after testing positive for ephedrine.
Justin Gatlin
Twice banned for testing positive before returning to sprinting and running faster than ever. The US sprinter almost beat Usain Bolt at this year’s World Championships.
Although Rugby does not feature in any of the major scandals, South African rugby was rocked on Tuesday with the confirmation that two players had tested positive during routine testing for using banned substances.
Mensah said that the initial sensitisation steps will be followed up by the appointment of a select committee to delve into this menace and to make recommendations to him and his Board on how to keep Rugby clean in Ghana.
From The Sports Desk