Committee available to investigate claims

An independent three-man committee, established within the last 12 months by the IRFU to deal with any prove of drug abuse within the sport, would convene if former international Neil Francis was to substantiate claims made in an article in the Sunday Tribune at the weekend that Irish internationals took performance-enhancing drugs.

Irish rugby's governing body has charged Francis with naming names so that they may investigate the allegations. Their wish is not likely to be fulfilled according to a statement from Sunday Tribune Editor Matt Cooper who claimed that: "The IRFU and the Irish media know that it is not legally possible for Neil Francis or this newspaper to name individuals and to suggest that we should do so is disingenuous.

"If Neil Francis were to name individuals who told him that they had taken drugs they would merely deny it, leaving it as his word against theirs. It is impossible for him to provide physical evidence of their past wrongdoings."

The IRFU may ask for a retraction in the paper, a course of action which the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) may also pursue.

The South Africans have slammed allegations made by the former international that rugby in that country is riddled with drug abuse. In a strongly worded, statement SARFU claim that the article "contains gross inaccuracies regarding the doping controls in South Africa.

"Mr Francis claims that South Africa's rugby unions `know what is going on' and accuses them of being `appallingly lax'. The South African Rugby Football Union objects in the strongest terms to these comments, which it believes are based on Mr Francis' perceptions rather than hard facts."

The statement goes on to point out that SARFU employ the most stringent doping controls in world rugby, a fact supported by Professor John Davies, medical consultant to the Welsh Rugby Union and spokesman for the doping task team of the IRB.

This appears to be at odds with recent evidence. There was no drug testing after the first test between South Africa and Ireland in Bloemfontein during the Summer: a drug testing procedure was followed after the second.

The South African statement went on to contend that on average, up to 1995, they conducted an average of 160 drugs test per season and that players were tested in and out of competition. Some 440 tests were carried out in 1996 and 230 in '97, including tests on schools and youth players. Since 1992, 19 South African rugby players have tested positive, 11 for anabolic steroids.

SARFU have challenged Francis to "provide evidence that rugby, especially in South Africa is, 'awash with illegal drugs".

There is also a suggestion that several former Irish internationals, individually or collectively, may seek legal redress with regard to the article. The Sunday Tribune, through Cooper's statement, have defended the stance taken by Francis. "The Sunday Tribune is satisfied that Neil Francis is truthful in his recollections," the statement said.