Got a drugs ban? No worries, come and play Rugby Union

[ALJ]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/38824929

 

[smartcooky]

AFAIK, World Rugby has been compliant with the WADA code for at least 10 years. That being the case, then any player banned in any other sport ought to also be banned from playing Rugby Union. If this is not the case, then it bloody well should be.

The optics on this are terrible. WR needs to grow a pair and knock this on the head immediately.

 

[Groundhog]

We really don't want union to be a refuge for League juice head drug cheats. Did it occur to Toulon when they once again proved what a crap organisation they are, that this guy will A: Probably not be that good, will B: Be a PR nightmare, and C: Could very well draw the ire of World Rugby if they have any backbone at all. I'm not going to slam WR too hard yet because to be fair it's probably just something they didn't prepare for, and they'll have an opportunity to cut this out before it becomes an issue.

 

[Which Tyler]

AFAIK, World Rugby has been compliant with the WADA code for at least 10 years. That being the case, then any player banned in any other sport ought to also be banned from playing Rugby Union. If this is not the case, then it bloody well should be.

The optics on this are terrible. WR needs to grow a pair and knock this on the head immediately.

A lot longer than a decade IIRC. WADA doesn't really care about cocaine out-of-competition; any ban for that is by his club, or possibly the NRL - who (to my understanding) would be overstepping themselves to ban for drugs use (given that WADA don't for this); but could very easily for disrepute.

We really don't want union to be a refuge for League juice head drug cheats. Did it occur to Toulon when they once again proved what a crap organisation they are, that this guy will A: Probably not be that good, will B: Be a PR nightmare, and C: Could very well draw the ire of World Rugby if they have any backbone at all. I'm not going to slam WR too hard yet because to be fair it's probably just something they didn't prepare for, and they'll have an opportunity to cut this out before it becomes an issue.

What do you want WR to do about this? it's not a WADA ban, and it's not a ban that crosses sports; whilst no-one else in rugby has faced any notable bans for out-of-competition cocaine use (but a reasonable number have been caught - pretty recently 2 AP players were banned for 0 days and fined £5K by the RFU for similar; IIRC Justin Harrison confessed to similar and copped an 8-9 month RFU ban [charged with "Conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game"], which didn't transfer to Aus).

Why do we have a moral high horse about a league player doing this and getting banned, when we don't for our own?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Good old "rugby values" rearing its head again. In fairness to the lad, cocaine isn't a PED so I'd consider it a legal matter rather than a sporting one.

 

[Which Tyler]

Good old "rugby values" rearing its head again. In fairness to the lad, cocaine isn't a PED so I'd consider it a legal matter rather than a sporting one.

Technically - it's considered a PED, but only in the short-term, and only for certain disciplines. IIRC (going back to reading up on it 8 years ago) it's considered to increase aggression, and to allow the user to push their body further than they otherwise would, but only for a duration of a few minutes; and is generally considered a performance diminsher after that; with no affect whatsoever after 1-2 hours. Hence is a 2 year ban if taken in competiion (WADA rules cover all sports, and doesn't distinguish between 100m sprint or an ultramarathon; if a drug is PED for one, it's considered PED for all), and not banned at all out or competition.

Legal matters are down to law enforcement, and whilst pretty universally illegal, there's a huge debate to be had about whether cocaine (and many others) SHOULD be illegal. Contractual discipline is an issue for the employer, whilst disrepute charges are a matter for the governing body. Of those issues, WADA bans hold across all sports/regions signed up to WADA (but not to those who aren't, obviously - hence Mat Stevens was allowed to compete at Ju Jitsu whilst serving his 2 year WADA ban - for cocaine use in-season); and are generally upheld within sports when a region isn't signed up to WADA; law enforcement could obviously stop the player from travelling; though that's hardly likely for a single use of a recreational drug; club discipline can only extend to the point of breaking the contract; and governing body discipline does not cross to different governing bodies (though they tend to within any particular sport; it's a nicety, not a necessity). An RFU ban doesn't bind the ARU, though they'll tend to respect it. IIRC 8 years ago Lipman was banned for 9 months, and was playing in Aus at the start of the following season, 7 months later*.

ETA: Apparently I recall incorrectly and he did sit out 9 months; I'm sure there was discussion though about training or friendlies or something.