Laporte doping claims rejected by RFU

News:The English Rugby Football Union has vehemently rejected claims by French coach Bernard Laporte that English rugby may not be drug-free.

Laporte said France has tight doping rules, but he "could not be sure" about players in England or New Zealand.

"We're confident we have a very robust programme," said RFU tournaments director Terry Burwell. "We're the only union with a full-time doping officer, which leaves no doubt as to how seriously we take it."

Gavin Dovey was appointed to the job in December 2006 having previously worked for the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority. In the 2006-07 season, 414 tests were carried out on rugby players in England under the RFU's testing programme, with over 50 per cent conducted out of competition with no advance notice.

In total that season, 460 players in England were tested, with only two positive results, both for the presence of a prohibited substance in a player's sample. Burwell stressed UK Sport's testing programme supplemented the RFU's own efforts. He said: "UK Sport conducts 450 tests on our behalf every year, both after matches and at random, in and out of season."

The response came after Laporte queried how clean English rugby was. "There is regular monitoring in France," said the French coach.

"The player cannot dope himself - well, he can, but he will be caught. But what is happening in New Zealand or in England? You cannot be sure of anything. The only certainty is there are dope tests at international matches. But they are only on urine and you have to go further than that."

International Rugby Board vice-chairman and former England captain Bill Beaumont also rejected Laporte's comments out of hand. "The RFU - and rugby in general - takes drug-testing extremely seriously," he told Radio Four's Today programme.

"Certainly from the RFU's point of view, I think they act in a very diligent manner regarding testing. I'm surprised and disappointed (by Laporte's comments) . . . Whether it was taken out of context, I don't know."